Oathbreaker: Prince of Coldharbour
by JusticarNemesis
Summary: Once an honored and praised savior of mankind, the Last Dragonborn is now merely a shell of his former self. Having sacrificed his honor and humanity, he finds himself an unhinged killer without a purpose... Until he discovers Eostia. A crossover of TES V: Skyrim and Kuroinu: Kedakaki Seijo wa Hakudaku ni Somaru
1. Chapter 1

Oathbreaker

1

Departure

"Nugh…" A voice croaked out, the owner, a bald man in fur armor could only babble out. Standing in front of him, a hooded figure clad in dark robes leaned over his shoulder. Load, audible slurping noises emitted from the figure as blood dripped down from the bald man and onto the stone floor. Soon the hooded figure released his tight grip on the man's shoulders, only for him to fall flat on the floor, dead.

Looking down at his victim, the man sported two sizable puncture wounds along his jugular vein. Crouching down, he ran his hands through the man's satchel at his side, before locating and taking his coin purse along with a handful of potions.

After looting the man, he turned around to survey the trail of corpses behind him.

"Twelve." The black knight stated blankly to himself.

Though death hardly fazed him at this point in his life, one body stood out amongst the carnage. An armored bandit lay on his back, a Warhammer embedded in the bloodied remains of his head. Suddenly, the vampire remembered…

/

**Laying on his back, a knight lay defeated, his breastplate caved in. Looking up to his foe, an imposing Orc stood, a bloody Warhammer in one hand. Looking briefly to his right, he noted a teenage Breton charging the orc from behind as his enemy raised his weapon once more.**

**Before the boy could reach the knight however, the Warhammer came crashing down, caving in the man's helmet and skull with a loud crunch.**

**"No!" The boy screamed out as he stabbed the orc in his unprotected back with his sword, tears welling at his eyes.**

**"Gah!" The orc belted out as the sword not only stabbed through his unprotected back but also exited via his chest. Clutching the blade, the orc turned to glare at his slayer before soon falling over.**

**"...Forgive me... " The teenage boy said, choking on his tears as he hugged the dead knight, the blood on his damaged armor transferring to his own.**

/

"Ragh!" A voice wailed out as another bandit charged the vampire, snapping him from his thoughts as the bandit closed in quickly, before drawing his spear back for a medium thrust.

Reacting quickly, he dodged the bandit's thrust before grabbing the spearman and headbutting the man.

"Ooof!" The man belted out gripping his head as he was sent staggering backward.

Following through, he grabbed the spear from the stunned bandit before flipping the head around and finishing off the spearman with a high penetrating thrust to his throat.

"Thirteen."

/

Solitude

The streets of the city were largely empty, say for the town guards. Even then, the few soldiers on patrol seemed more concerned with keeping warm than with warming up to each other and as such seldom spoke to one another.

From the shadows, he lurked, avoiding their view in an attempt to remain undetected. When one patrol passed by the Blue Palace, he made his move. With incredible speed, he slipped into the courtyard, unseen.

/

Solitude

Blue Palace, Throne Room

Sitting at her throne, Elisif yawned in exhaustion. Another day of dealing with finances and the everyday Imperial and Skyrim politics. One of the many unfortunate comings with being High Queen was the added pressure from both the Imperial Council and the combined Jarls of Skyrim.

Rising from her throne, she calmly walked back to her quarters, concluding her day. Closing the exquisitely designed wooden doors, she was granted the peace and quiet she desired.

Looking to herself in the mirror, she stared back at the beautiful nordic woman. Removing her crown, she went through the task of undressing for bed. Removing her wedding band, she placed it atop her dresser, beside the one her late husband had worn. Soon she had replaced her courtly attire with a comfortable white nightgown.

"You can stop hiding now." She calmly requested with a soft sigh.

Pulling the curtain aside, the Dragonborn emerged immediately at the request. Stepping forward, he quickly knelt before the High Queen.

"Please arise, there's no need for that, old friend." Elisif insisted with a kind smile as she put a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry, I wanted to see you… I didn't want to scare anyone." The knight quickly apologized as he rose to his feet.

"There's nothing to apologize for, I thank you for your discretion." She thanked the vampire knight. She then reached for a bottle of spiced wine on a nearby table.

"The bandits north have been exterminated." The Dragonborn informed, emotionlessly.

"I see, thank you again." Elisif thanked, turning back to see the vampire making his way back to the window. "Where are you going?"

"Back to my residence, our business is concluded. I require no reward." He answered as he began to unlock the window. Before he could do so, however, a soft hand placed itself on his.

"Won't you stay? I'd like to speak with you, it's one of the few comforts I find." The Nord asked, forcing the knight to make eye contact with her.

"As you wish." He said nodding his head.

"Come then, have a seat." She asked, taking him by the hand before pulling him away from the window.

"What would you like to talk about?" He asked, taking a seat at a small table.

Across from him, the Jarl poured wine into two separate silver goblets. Placing one in front of him, she opened her mouth to speak.

"You" She answered, picking up her goblet before taking a small sip.

"What would you like to know?" He asked.

"Is there anything I can do to help you?" Elisif asked.

"No…There is no helping me." The knight answered grimly.

"Please, there must be something..." The jarl insisted with a frown.

"No, the fact that your still here and safe is the only thing keeping me from falling on my own sword." The vampire answered crudely.

"You cannot think like that! That's not what the divines have in mind for you." Elisif spoke in shock to the knight's plight.

"The divines!? The gods abandoned me!" He angrily expressed, rising from his chair.

"Henry, please…" The High Queen tried calming him down, placing a hand on his.

"My lady, what's going on in there!" A loud voice boomed from outside.

"I… I'm sorry. I shouldn't have come…" Henry spoke, gently removing his hand from the queen's grasp.

"Please! I can help you." The queen insisted, attempting to take his hand once more.

"My lady!" The same voice boomed again, this time the door opened. Standing there was her heavily armored housecarl, Bolgeir Bearclaw.

"Apologies, my Queen. I thought I heard shouting in here." Bolgeir spoke, surprising the Jarl.

Turning, she found herself alone. The window beside her open, and the curtains flowing from the night wind.

/

Windstad Manor

Returning to his secluded manor, he sat at the head of the dining table, surrounded by empty bottles of mead and wine. A bottle of half-full Honningbrew mead sat in hand, of which he took long swigs. Despite him downing the alcohol like a drunkard, to his dismay, the drink had no effect on him.

Looking to the chairs, he was soon reminded of the many parties he hosted at the manor, his many followers, allies, nobility and commoners alike.

Seated at the table, the now-former human used to drink and tell adventurous tales with the many friends he made throughout the years. One day it was a bandit clan wiped out, another day it might've been a felled dragon. Those were the good days…

He remembered one that stood out above the others… a dark-haired nordic woman who would always sit at his right. Despite her initial shyness around others, they welcomed her with open arms.

"Beloved…" He muttered to himself, putting the bottle down.

The Breton remembered when he first met her, the raven-haired beauty initially eyed the Breton with suspicion when she caught his scent. He was different then... he was ailed with something different…

Though she didn't trust him initially, fate drew them together. And when all seemed lost, they took each other, both as companions, but also as lovers.

Throwing his now empty bottle into a wall, it shattered. Standing up, he made his way for the door.

Entering his backyard, he stood amongst the many graves of fallen companions and friends. Turning his attention to the largest one, tears couldn't help but well in his eyes.

**"Dear love, the truest hero in the lands, when all seemed lost, she inspired all."**

**"Dear Mentor, a true example of chivalry and valor, he fought well and died young."**

**"Dear brother, brave, kind and considerate. He was taken far too soon. May he rest in Sovngarde."**

**"Dear brother, though he was baptized in sin, he repented and became an inspiration to all."**

Stopping after the forth, he couldn't read anymore. Tears streaming down his cheeks, he felt a wave of emotions crash over him. Much of it… guilt.

Removing a dagger from his belt, he eyed the red hue it gave off indicating its powerful fire enchantment. Raising the blade to his chest, he leveled it directly over his heart.

Before he could end himself, a blue portal suddenly appeared behind him. Dropping the dagger on the ground, he turned around the look into the portal.

Within it, he saw death and destruction, villages being sacked and torched, massive battles between man and beast, mass rapes and massacres of civilians.

"Perhaps... Perhaps, I still have a purpose..." He said, taking a glance back to her grave.

After sheathing his dagger, he looked down to notice he was only wearing a pair of drab, grey hooded robes.

"This will not do…"

/

Re-entering his armory, he found numerous armor displays. Each one reminded him of the many points in his life. Passing by numerous sets of plate and chainmail armor, he approached one covered in a white sheet.

Pulling back the sheets, he was greeted by the sight of a full set of dark black plate mail. Blue accents ran along the shoulders and collar, along with the waistline.

Turning around, he looked for a suitable weapon. Amongst the racks stood a variety of swords, axes, and maces of varying design, materials, and enchantments.

Taking little time to decide, he found one stood out. A dark sword with a circular pommel, a symbol of Nocturnal engraved into it.

"A fitting blade for a thief of lives…" The vampire spoke to himself as he picked up the blade.

/

Sheathing the sword at his hip, he took one more look at his love's grave before turning back to the portal.

"… Please… Forgive me, my love." He spoke sorrowfully.


	2. Chapter 2

2

Arrival

Emerging from the portal, he found himself in a forested area in what seemed like the middle of the night.

The land though reminding him much of Falkreath, he knew was likely in an entirely different continent, perhaps even a completely different dimension.

"I should find shelter and a source of sustainment." He said to himself as he walked off in the direction of a column of smoke.

/

Tracking the smoke to its source, Henry found it belonged to an old stone fort nestled at the top of a small hill.

Sneaking into the fort via a hole in the outer wall showed him that the source of the smoke came from the small stone keep in the center. As it was late at night, the majority of the garrison were likely inside, leaving a handful of men to patrol the walls and courtyard.

"Been too long since we had a raid, when are we gonna see some action?" One man in a leather vest questioned as the pair walked directly past the vampire, unaware of him.

"Tomorrow midday, the boss was eyin' some village to the east. He thinks the garrison's been rotated back south with all the orc raids." Another man replied.

"Finally, been lookin' to get my hands on some ass… Damn shame we only got that Dark-Elf bitch on our scouting run. And the boss' been keepin that tail to himself… Greedy bastard." The first guard exclaimed with a grin.

Having heard enough talk from the bandits, he snuck ahead of their patrol route and into a dark corner.

/ Fort Blackthorne, Central Keep

From inside the keep, the bandits sat around a large wooden table, eating and chatting amongst themselves.

"Hey you logs, listen up!" A voice boomed and the bandits snapped to focus their gaze on a towering man in crude steel plate armor standing at the end of the table.

"I've already briefed the patrol outside, we're going on a raid tomorrow!" The man exclaimed, earning hearty cheers amongst his clan.

"The local garrison's been moved outta the region, my little bird says there's only ten men guarding the outpost. I say we visit that little village east and collect ta-"

"Raggghh!" A voice screeched out from outside.

"What the fuck? Someone check that out!" The leader commanded and the two closest bandits quickly rose and walked out the door.

For several moments, complete silence befell the room.

"Those oafs better not be playing a joke…" The clan leader said crossing his arms.

Just as he finished, a severed head was sent rolling into the room from the door.

"Hal…" A bandit gasped, slack-jawed as he recognized the head as it came to a stop at his feet. The bandits' attention was soon diverted however to what followed suit.

Stepping into the room, a hooded man in black armor with blue accents entered, a bloody sword in hand.

"Evening boys…" He said with an unsettling calmness.

/

Fort Blackthorne, Dungeon

Jailer… a give or take posting… For the bandit, Rufus it was usually a give right now.

With a woman in the cell in the next room, jailers usually had free reign with them, so long as the boss got his cut first. Rufus didn't mind sloppy seconds, by the time the boss was done with them, they were compliant and didn't resist.

_Usually_

Unfortunately, elves were a rarity in their raids. So the boss got her all to himself until they could find a buyer.

Sitting at the fireplace in the center of the room, Rufus warmed up and ate his supper, a bowl of rabbit stew.

Suddenly the door behind him opened, he nonchalantly stood up to face his presumed replacement.

"Is it time already? I thought I just started-" He said bowl in hand before turning and realizing the man standing before him _wasn't_ his replacement.

Before he could drop his bowl and reach for his weapon the man lunged forward with shocking speed and grabbed him by his collar before slamming him into a wall.

"Where is the girl?" The fiend asked in a flat, almost monotone voice.

Instead of answering, however, Rufus drew a dagger from his belt before attempting to stab his interrogator.

The knight anticipated this sly move however and grabbed the man's wrist and forcefully twisted it until it was fractured, revealing bone.

"Agh!" Rufus screeched out in pain as he was forced to drop the knife, now he was forced to face his attacker's blood-red eyes.

"The girl…" The man repeated in the same voice.

This time, the bandit complied, motioning towards the wooden door on the other end of the room.

The man now grinned, eying the firepit next to them, causing the bandit jailer to gulp audibly.

"No.."

/

Four days… Four days she was kept in this cell, smelling of piss, shit, and semen. Claire lay in near pitch darkness, attempting to sleep. Fearing the next day the wretched bandit leader would come to give her… company.

She cried at the thoughts of his hands forcing her legs open and forcing himself into her.

"Agghhh!" A voice screamed out in agony from the outside, shaking her from her thoughts.

Moments later, the door was kicked open and light flooded into the darkroom.

Fearing it was the clan leader again, Claire faced the wall in tears as a pair of heavy metal boots landed directly behind her.

To her surprise, however, the figure squatted down and placed a gauntleted hand gently on her arm.

"You're safe now." A male voice said softly.

Turning to face her supposed rescuer, she couldn't see much of his face, only the glowing red eyes underneath his hood.

"I won't hurt you, I promise." The hooded man said as he leaned over to unlock her restraints.

Once released she couldn't help but stare at her now chain-free hands before looking back at her rescuer who only stepped back to give her space.

"Come on out." He said reassuringly as he stepped into the light and gestured for her to follow him.

Stepping into the light, her eyes did their best to readjust to the light, but things still appeared fuzzy to her. What she did notice however was the face of her would-be jailer.

Or rather, what was left of it.

Rufus had been forced into the fire facefirst, as such his face was burnt beyond recognition. Claire was only able to identify him by his distinctive ginger red hair.

"He won't hurt you now. _None_ of them will." The man insisted, offering her a hand to take.

Taking his hand with some hesitation, Claire followed as the man led her back into the main hall.

Entering the main hall, Claire couldn't help but stare with pure shock at the bloodbath before her. The bandits were left in varying states of death, two were disemboweled, others missing limbs or with throats slashed open. Two were even piled on top of each other and impaled with the same spear.

"You don't have to look." He said pulling her along up a set of nearby stairs leading her to the living quarters.

Despite her compliance, she was now more scared than ever. This man, if he even was one had single-handedly slaughtered an entire bandit clan and was now leading her to the clan leader's bedroom. If he could do that to a bandit, what did he have in mind for her?

"You'll sleep here." He stated, opening the door for her before quickly turning to leave.

"Wait…" Claire spoke quickly, stopping the vampire in his tracks.

"Yes?" He answered, still facing away from her.

"Why are you helping me?" She asked.

"...Because it's the right thing to do…" He replied before taking his leave.


	3. Chapter 3

3

The Calm Before the Storm

/

Fort Blackthorne, Courtyard,

Morning

After clearing the corpses out of the keep and courtyard, Henry began the arduous task of looting each corpse of anything of value. Though most were equipped in cheap leather or padded armor, there were a couple equipped in shoddily made steel plate armor. The weapons appeared to be in generally poor condition and were limited to mostly mass-produced spears, axes and all manner of crudely made blunt weapons.

After tallying the dead, Henry piled the corpses into a commandeered wagon to bury later. He also placed the recovered weapons and salvaged armor onto a wooden table for closer examination later.

Looking over the looted money, he found them to be in the form of gold coins. The face side held the face of a beautiful elven woman, most likely the current ruler.

"_**Long live the Goddess reincarnated!" **_Was etched around the picture.

On the other side, a picture of a lavish palace sat, no doubt the ruler's residence. Etched around the picture were the words, "_Minted in Ken, Capital of Eostia"_.

"Hmmm… Ken… might have to start there." He muttered to himself, putting the coin into his coin purse as he began walking back to the keep.

/

Reentering the keep, he found that the freed elf was likely still asleep or adjusting to her new accommodations.

In the meanwhile, Henry worked to familiarize himself with his new home. Taking a few minutes to explore the keep, he found it contained a modest amount of rooms and facilities. The first floor housed a rather large dining room which included two large wooden tables capable of seating around forty to fifty each. The subfloor held the kitchen and make-shift jail as well as a storage room. The second floor contained the living quarters divided into two rooms, the main room was used as a barracks and contained numerous bunk beds, around fifteen in total. The second room was a much smaller bedroom reserved for the commander which included an old washtub, desk, and bookshelf. Finally, the roof served as a battlement overlooking the rear of the castle as well as the dirt road leading to the entrance, crenellations offered sufficient cover from projectile weapons.

Looking over the fort courtyard, he noted it possessed a functional smithy, additional storage for food and firewood, and also functioning well.

Looking over the walls, they were in various states of disrepair, however. Some were crumbling while others had obvious gaps and chipped crenellations. Adding to the defense were three battlements, one watching the main gate, the other two overlooked the west and east sides of the fort.

"Welcome to Eostia, Henry." The knight said to himself as he let his eyes wander over the surrounding landscape.

/

Waking up, Claire had to pinch herself to convince herself that she was indeed sleeping in a real bed. Though she was relieved to see she was still free, she shuddered at the memories of the past few days.

She was soon shaken from her thoughts as a delightful aroma reached her from beyond the door. The smell was strong enough to cause her stomach to rumble and take her mind away from the horrors.

Leaving her room, Claire proceeded down the stairs directly to the source. In the main hall, the black knight stood at one of the tables, setting down two filled bowls and utensils. Curious of him, she attempted to remain undetected and closely watch him.

"I presume they didn't feed you well?" The knight asked suddenly as if he had sensed the elf's presence.

"N-No...my lord!" The elf answered quickly to his questioning.

"I see, have a seat then, breakfast is ready." He stated, taking a seat opposing the one he set for her.

Sitting at the table, Claire could hardly contain her hunger and wordlessly ravaged her bowl like a starving wolf.

After finishing her food, she looked up to see the knight watching her as he ate his own food.

"I suppose you'd like seconds…" He inferred, placing his spoon down.

"Yes!... Please." She replied with some excitement before quickly calming down.

"Of course." He stood back up and walked back into the kitchen before returning a few moments later, a cast iron pot in hand.

Pouring her another serving of some kind of beef stew, he watched with a small smile as the elf ate, a bright smile on her face.

"What's your name, my lady?" He asked curiously.

"Claire Renault. What about you?" She answered and asked eagerly.

"Do you have any family or friends?" This question caused her some discomfort however as she quickly stopped eating.

"I…No, my lord." She turned away from his gaze, tears welling in her eyes.

Standing up she was surprised to feel a hand rest itself on her right shoulder. Turning to face him, she was able to see his face much more clearly.

He was young… and surprisingly handsome. His ruby eyes shined, not with anger or hunger. But with sympathy. Despite his initially frightening appearance, she didn't feel as afraid anymore.

In fact, she felt something she hadn't felt in years… safe

"I can only hope to understand what-" He said attempting to soothe the maiden before she suddenly surged forward and hugged him.

"Henry... My name is Henry." He spoke softly.

"Promise me that you won't leave, Henry. _You're_ all I have." She cried into his shoulder while tightly wrapping her arms around him.

"I promise." He whispered softly into one of her pointed ears while gently rubbing her back.

The two stayed like this for several moments with the elf holding tightly onto the knight, who rubbed her back and hair softly.

"Let's clean you up." He whispered again.

/

After a few lumps of coal, the furnace slowly churned to life.

Slipping a hand into the waters, Henry found the water was just right. Considering the clear age and lack of care for the washtub, it was a surprise that it was still functional.

"Come on, the water is just right." He said standing up and turning to the now nude elf standing before him. Short blond hair, violet eyes, a shapely body, and tanned skin, all for him to take into view and survey. She seemed to notice and approve of this as she blushed and smiled shyly.

When their gazes met, the elf approached him curiously. He stood unmoving as the elf ran a hand over his armor before resting on his chest. Seeing the maiden get closer to him, Henry felt his vision blurring.

/

Once they cleared he found he was no longer in the commander's quarters, instead a familiar bedroom.

Looking around the room, he knew it somehow, but he couldn't remember where this was. Turning to an elegantly made mirror, he found the man looking back at him was a stranger.

He looked like a half-starved wild dog, gaunt and tired. Looking past his red eyes, he saw only the tragedy and sadness that lie beneath.

Before his eyes could linger on himself further, however, a soft hand placed itself on his shoulder.

Turning, he was pleasantly surprised to find a gorgeous raven-haired woman in all her glory standing before him.

"_**No...Not her… Can't be her." He thought.**_

Her red eyes ravenous with a strangely frightening and also seductive glow. Combined with her confidant smirk, he practically melted as she slowly approached him.

Suddenly, she stopped her advance. Her seductive smile turning to a frown, a tear dripping down her cheek.

"Beloved?" He said confused, reaching out to grab hold of her.

Before he could reach her, a sword pierced her heart from behind.

"No!"

/

Snapping awake, he quickly shifted from Claire's fingers, shocking the elf.

"What's wrong? Don't you like me?" She asked concerned, trying to reach out to him once more.

"I'm sorry… I can't." He said as he quickly took his leave.

/

Ken, Capitol of Eostia, Royal Residence

The day had so far been going fairly well for the queen, Celestine Lucross. Two orc raiding parties had been repelled from the north with minimal losses. The Black Dogs were erecting a fort, blocking road access to and from the north. In the end, all seemed quiet in the usually warring de-facto kingdom. But one thing weighed heavily on the goddess' mind.

A horrid nightmare, though two days old. Remained as fresh in her mind as the night she first witnessed it.

/

**Walking through her capital, she found countless buildings set ablaze or blown open. Corpses strewn about with all manner of horrific death-causing injuries lined the streets. Soldiers and civilians, men and women, even children weren't spared from the slaughter. Demons and Orcs ran amok along the streets and in between houses oblivious to the queen's presence. Screams and the clashing of steel rang with seemingly no end.**

**Suddenly the shrieks of numerous orcs could be heard as their looting allies turned their attention to a particular alleyway.**

**Looking into its dark depths, Celestine watched as four orcs charged into the unknown, only for moments later for three severed heads to roll out.**

**She walked closer to welcome whom she presumed was Claudia or Alicia or one of her other knights.**

**She could only stare in complete dread as she was proven wrong when her "champion" stepped into the light.**

**Emerging from the darkness, a hooded man walked with an eerie calmness, the fourth orc's head in hand. His armor, black as night shined like some angel of death, straight from a bard's ballad as he tossed the fourth Orc's head aside like common trash.**

**Even as mobs of other greenskins charged him he continued his firm pace, effortlessly parrying and countering their blows. He cleaved through his enemies with the skill of a wheat farmer harvesting crops with a scythe.**

**He walked right past her in the direction of her palace before stopping as a platoon-sized group of orcs and demons combined stood to oppose him.**

**Celestine watched with intense interest as the man took a deep breath before exhaling.**

**"_YOL TOOR SHUL!"_ He roared out and a massive blast of fire emerged from his mouth, incinerating a large portion of his enemies.**

**The remaining bunch of enemies stood little chance as the black knight quickly closed in for the kill. He spared none, slaughtering all who dare stand against him.**

**After finishing off the group, he continued his way to the palace.**

**"Lady Celestine?" A voice called out.**

/

"Lady Celestine!" The voice shouted this time.

Blinking, the queen found herself once again in her throne room. Surrounded by numerous concerned guards and knights. Looking down, she found it was her marshall, Lady Claudia Levantine.

"My apologies, I let my mind wander. Can you repeat what you said?" She asked, regaining her composure.

"Though we managed to rout the raiding forces, they managed to sack a handful of villages. We're getting reports of large groups of villagers being abducted by orcs. It seems that our intruders split some of their force into smaller ravaging parties. Shall I dispatch the knights?" Claudia reported with an air of military discipline.

"Yes, I also want a second force of army regulars to take up a central position should the need arises for rapid deployment." Celestine ordered for her marshall to nod in agreement before running out of the room, knights in tow.

/

Fort Blackthorne, Keep Battlement

Sitting at the battlement, Henry sat on a stool. Sharpening his sword with a whetstone, he thought back to his previous actions. Should he have allowed it to escalate? Should he explain himself to the elf downstairs?

He shook such thoughts as he smelled a fine womanly scent emerge from the stairs behind him. Soon the now clothed elf emerged from the staircase and approached him quickly.

"I had a feeling you'd be up here." Claire said taking a seat on a stool across from the knight.

He said nothing and continued to focus on sharpening his sword.

"I wanted to apologize for what I did back there, it was inappropriate." She spoke up, breaking the tension.

"Why are you sorry? You did nothing wrong." He questioned, focused on his blade, the Nightingale Blade.

"You don't even know me, and here I am, throwing myself at you like some maiden whose thought she's found her true love." The elf countered, embarrassed.

"You acted as your heart guided you, you were scared and sought safety. As such it guided you to what it felt was safety and security." He argued, intriguing the elf by his answer. Before she could offer a rebuttal, he quickly stood up.

"Look there, columns of smoke." He pointed out, causing the elf to quickly stand up and turn to face it.

"That's coming from a nearby village! Orcs were massing the borders of the Badlands when I crossed. They have to be raiding the border villages!" Claire explained in horror to the knight facing her.

Tossing the whetstone aside, he checked his equipment before turning to face the smoke.

"Not for long."


	4. Chapter 4

4

A New Beginning

\

Village of Sarris, Eostia

Hope

Hope was all they had. The hope that the queen's forces would reach them and save them.

Those who managed to flee found themselves barricaded in the church. Inside the church, few were brave enough to man the barricades, most stuck close to their families and the wounded, others could only sit in almost catatonic dread, confining themselves to the notion that there was _no_ hope.

Those who couldn't flee were subject to all manner of horror at the hands of their enemies. Screams could be heard from all over the village as homes became the sights of unspeakable atrocity, rape, and murder going hand in hand.

/

Faster

He had to go faster. Thankfully his dark steed had seemingly no limits or issues with the demands of her owner.

Riding at full speed, Henry could tell he was getting close as he could smell fresh ash falling.

Soon enough, the village came into sight. The outlying fields were set ablaze, many homes were burnt to the ground and corpses lined the streets. Despite his quick and almost careless advance, he found none of the greenskins were on the watch for danger. He scowled, concluding that the entire group was busy looting and raping to notice his incursion.

Drawing his sword, he charged a pair of orcs carrying a large wooden chest. Before they could reach their weapons the knight drew first blood. Slashing one the creature who fell to the ground, clutching its throat. Returning for another run, he grabbed the fallen orc's spear before using it as a lance to impale its companion.

Before the creature died, it let out a guttural cry of pain, causing numerous other greenskins to exit their respective buildings. Grouping up, the force of orcs and imps quickly formed a loose wall of spears and axes.

"Seems we have to do this the hard way." The knight exclaimed dismounting his horse and removing a potion of blood from his belt.

Taking a long swig, he felt a rush of energy rush over him. His black pupils dilated as the fresh blood awoke the animal within him.

"_Tiid Klo Ul_!" He shouted, slowing the world around him as he charged forward as the wall of spears quickly broke formation.

The unorganized mob stood no chance. The black knight, only visible as a dark blur continually sped through their ranks. Gutting and hacking his way through the loosely packed group, like lambs grouped for the slaughter. Decapitating one, he turned to his attacking friend to kick the creature to the ground before crushing its head with his boot. Dodging an arrow, he grabbed a fallen spear before impaling the orc bowman with a powerful throw.

After finishing off the mob, the ground suddenly rumbled.

Turning to face a new threat, Henry found it belonged to a massive Giant. Wielding a club as thick as a tree, the knight was forced to avoid its wielder entirely. Despite its large stature and heavy build, the troll was fast to the point of nearly hitting its target.

"_Wuld Nah Krest!_" The black knight belted out and he quickly sped forward, avoiding the mighty club as he ran under the beast. Stabbing one of the beast's legs, it howled in pain as it stumbled to turn around.

Dive rolling away from another attack, the vampire stabbed the creature's other leg. Howling once more, it was forced to its knees.

Looking up at its foe, the last thing it saw was the vampire's bright fangs before its demise.

Sinking his fangs into its throat, Henry found another rush of energy surge through his body. Despite the Giant's blood tasting like pure lead… it was sufficient.

He felt his senses further sharpen and his injuries suddenly healed. A strong smell now stood out amongst the blood and guts, semen. Henry convulsed in rage and disgust as he could now hear numerous screams and crying emanating from the largest house.

Speeding over to the house, he wasted no time. Kicking the door down, he found a group of women of all ages, nude, orcs and demons crawling all over them.

"Please help us!"

"Please my lord!"

Enraged, the vampire sped forward in a blur of motion, savagely killing all who stood to oppose him. Slamming his blade into the skull of an Orc, he grabbed its dagger before grabbing another greenskin and stabbing it in the throat.

Retrieving his sword, he parried an imp's axe swing before swiftly decapitating the creature. Grabbing the fallen axe, he lobbed it at another Orc, killing the beast instantly. After killing the fifth one with a stab, he found the last stood fearfully in the back, shakily clutching a spear.

Looking at the small girl crying next to the demon, Henry kicked the dead Orc off his sword before stomping off to the direction of the cowering imp.

"Coward…" He growled. The two stared each other down before the imp tried vainly to stab him.

Easily dodging the imp's attacks, the vampire grabbed the crude spear before kicking the small demon onto a nearby table. Tossing his sword aside, the knight broke the spear in two over his knee before quickly enveloping the creature. The imp cried out in pain as the knight savagely pinned it to the table with the broken spear.

The women clutched onto each other as they watched the black knight put the demon's head into a vice grip with his gauntleted hands. Some couldn't bear this and soon turned away, while most sat silently as they watched the creature let out pained squeals and vainly fought the man. Soon the creature's skull broke and caved in with a loud crunch.

Stepping off the cowardly rapist, Henry turned to retrieve his sword. Though frightened, one woman mustered enough courage to approach him.

"Thank you, my lord, we owe you our lives." The woman spoke up, covering herself with her arms.

"No… You owe me nothing, I am sorry I couldn't come sooner." He answered with a sad frown as he turned and walked back out.

/

After rescuing the women, Henry found the village was largely cleared. He made quick work of other pockets of resistance, giving no mercy to the beasts. After dispatching all stragglers, he turned his attention to the barricaded church.

Calmly knocking on the door, it was soon unblocked and opened. He was greeted with a combination of fear and distrust as he entered the church. The villagers soon ignored him, however, as they were reunited with surviving family members. The knight walked straight towards the wounded, ignoring the reunions and stares of confusion from survivors.

Approaching one man, the knight cast a healing spell in his hands. Placing them over a man's wounded chest, the survivors could only watch in pure shock and awe as the wound healed itself instantly.

Reaching to his belt, Henry grabbed a Magicka potion before guzzling it down and returning to the wounded.

"Bless you, my lord." One wounded man said with a bow of respect as his injuries healed.

"These wounds aren't completely healed, the skin and any internal organs are merely sewn shut, they will require time for the body to recover." He said to the recovering villagers as a few tried to sit up.

"Who are you?" A voice piped up and soon many other questions of the same nature followed.

"I am Sir Henry."

/

After tallying the dead and living, Henry found that out of sixty-three, thirty-eight lie dead, leaving twenty-five, among them five were wounded. The deceased were quickly identified by their family members and were loaded into wagons to be buried later. The remaining twenty-five stood outside the church, clutching onto their families.

"Listen up!" The black knight's voice belted out and the villagers quickly snapped their attention to him as all talk ceased.

"This village is your home, your livelihood, your childhoods… But it is no longer safe to remain here. The crops have been destroyed, and enemies are all around us… I _cannot_ remain here, other villages remain under threat and will require my aid. I will be leading any survivors willing, to the abandoned fort south of here. All who seek refuge will be under _my_ protection, and will have to contribute in some way." He spoke, sparking a mixed reaction among the villagers. Some immediately grabbed their families and stepped forward, while others discussed amongst themselves.

/

Sitting atop the main battlement, Claire watched over the main road.

Looking over her body, she frowned as she viewed the scars from her abuse. She scowled as she looked to the loaded crossbow and hunting knife on a table near her. _Never_ _again_ would she be at the mercy of man.

The sound of a horn blow snapped her from her thoughts. Grabbing her crossbow, she raised it over the crenel, ready to shoot any who dared to intrude.

To her relief, however, she spotted Henry riding at the head of a wagon train.

He quickly barked out orders and the people immediately piled out and got to work. Most got to work moving the dead out to the fields for burial, others began unloading the wounded into the main hall. The knight followed the morgue crew and watched over them while they worked. He sat on his dark horse stoically, hand on the hilt of his sword, ready to fight at a moment's notice.

/

Despite his insistence on speed and efficiency, the burial of the dead proved to be a slow and somber process.

In spite of his stoic facade, Henry found it difficult to maintain his hard demeanor when surrounded by tears and final farewells of families to their deceased loved ones.

Feeling his vision blur once more, he blinked. Suddenly the landscape changed, no longer was he in the forests of northern Eostia.

Now again he was a familiar, but cruel frozen wasteland.

/

**Looking down he found he now sat on the back of a long-forgotten brown horse.**

**"Buttons…" He muttered, remembering the horse his liege had originally gifted to him for his coming of age.**

**Looking around, Henry found he wasn't alone. Surrounding him was a company of Imperial Legionnaires all at work burying their fallen brothers.**

**Curious, he cautiously rode forward. The soldiers ignored him as he approached them and looked over their faces.**

**"Tulrag? Crassus?" He muttered to two familiar soldiers, an Orc and an Imperial. The two seemed to be completely oblivious to his presence.**

**"Crassus?" He spoke up, putting a hand on the Imperial's shoulder, forcing the man to drop his shovel. Turning, Henry was surprised to see his brown eyes had been replaced with soulless, black ones.**

**"_Captain, when do you think our replacements will arrive?" _The Colovian asked flatly.**

**"What?" Henry asked, unsure of how to answer.**

**"_Captain, when do you think our replacements will arrive?" _Crassus asked again, sparking the Breton's memory.**

**"That… That was the last thing you said to me… Before you died." Henry responded to the Imperial who only stared on blankly.**

**"_Captain, shall I commence the attack?" _Tulrag suddenly spoke up, his eyes as black as Crassus'.**

**"When we were ordered to assault Fort Kastav… You volunteered to lead in my place when I fell ill." Henry answered.**

**"_Captain, we missed our daily supply delivery." _Another voice asked.**

**"_I'm scared Captain."_**

**"_The path ahead looks clear, Sir."_**

**Suddenly, Henry found himself surrounded by other dead soldiers who endlessly bombarded him with the same questions and chilling last words.**

**"Sir Henry!"**

/

Snapping awake, he found the burial crew surrounding him in curiosity and concern.

"Are you alright sir? We've finished burying the dead, what are your orders?" One man asked, forcing the knight to look over the burial grounds.

"Back to the fort, there is much to do." The Breton ordered, turning Shadowmere and walking the group back to the confines of the walls.

/

Night

Sitting at the top of the keep, Henry sat on a stool. Sharpening his sword with a small whetstone, occasionally glancing up to survey the environment.

As his new "subjects" were peasants, they most likely lacked any combat training and thus were currently useless as guards. This meant he was responsible for both leading and solely protecting the population for the time being.

"I see you're keeping yourself busy…" A harmonious voice spoke, causing the knight to look to the stairwell and emerging form of Claire Renault.

After acknowledging her with a nod, he turned his attention back to his sword.

"I did that recordkeeping you asked of me, I took inventory of our food and water supplies as well as medicine and other amenities." Claire said pulling up a stool and retrieving a small leatherbound pocketbook hooked onto her belt.

"What's our situation?" Henry asked sternly.

"Good or bad news first?" The dark elf with a comical tone which immediately earned her a hardened glare.

"All"

"At most, we have three days worth of food and only basic medicine. The water from the well appears clean and should provide us with a reliable source to drink from. The two horses you recovered from the village are relatively healthy but will require maintenance." Claire spoke, looking over the list.

Grimacing, the knight sheathed his sword and pocketed the whetstone before standing up.

"Shall we break the news, my lord?" Claire asked, putting away her pocketbook.

"In the morning, I'll give them the night to settle in." Henry answered heading for the stairs, the elf following suit.

/

Three Days Later

Living up to his pledge of protection, Henry spared no time in strengthening his position and small society. Coordinating with right-hand woman Claire, he began to organize roles for the colony of now thirty-one with new arrivals. All of the age were required to train in basic weapons handling such as the spear and crossbow. As the population was low at only thirty-one, they would routinely rotate between guard duty and farming detail daily.

With the skill and determination of the people, a farm had been established along the hillslopes. Though limited by the soil to potatoes and carrots, they offered a sense of assurance to the people.

Unfortunately, as the crops were expected to be ready for harvesting after around seventy days, another food source was needed. As he found the kingdom was on high alert due to the recent raids, the roads were empty.

Save for the brigands foolish enough to patrol them.

/

Tracking a scouting party back to their hideout, Henry found them to be operating out of an abandoned iron mine. Surrounding the mine entrance was a small camp, enclosed by a wooden palisade wall with a wooden platform by the gate.

Looking into the camp from a nearby hill, he found the camp was manned by four bandits, on watch stood an archer in leather armor, who casually watched the horizon with seemingly little care. The unwary would make for easy kills.

/

Parrying one man's axe chop, he slashed the axeman across the stomach before kicking him away. Grabbing the man's dagger from his belt, he quickly dodged a spear thrust before closing in and finishing the spearman with a stab to the throat. Sidestepping a series of clumsy mace swings, he slashed at the back of the bandit, felling him instantly.

Whistles in the air alerted the Breton to the archer who began firing upon him with a barrage of arrows.

Dive rolling out of the way, he grabbed the injured axeman who attempted to get up. Wrapping an arm around the man's neck, Henry used him to weather the bowman's attacks.

After three arrows, the axeman was finally dead. Utilizing his friend's fallen spear, he lobbed it at the archer like a javelin, quickly catching the man's shoulder and sending him tumbling off the platform to the ground below.

Taking the opportunity, Henry rushed forward and ensured the brigand a swift death with a quick stab through the heart.

Hearing a door open, the vampire knight found it came from the mace-wielding bandit who managed to stumble his way into the mine.

Smiling evilly, he calmly walked after the man.

/

"Someone help me! I'm fucking bleeding here! Boros and Nils are dead!" The bandit pleaded out, limping down into the mine.

Jumping to their feet, three bandits drew their weapons and rushed towards the entrance. Rounding the corner, their stomachs sank at the sight before them.

Before them, their friend stood, a red-eyed man behind him. His teeth sunk into his victim's throat, the man could only look on with wide eyes.

"By the goddess..."

After draining the man, he simply loosened his grip and the man fell forward and landed facefirst.

The three bandits could only stare in bewilderment at their now dead friend before resuming their gazes to his killer. Seeing their fear, the knight bore his now bloody teeth to them, and their hands began shaking.

"Good afternoon…" He said chillingly and the men stepped back in fear.

Exploiting their fear, he immediately rushed forward, catching them off-guard. He swiftly decapitated one man before he could raise his weapon. Turning to face his friends, he dodged an axe swing before stabbing the axeman. Before the third man could swing his club fully, the vampire lunged forward and grabbed the man's wrist. Much to his surprise, the man found the slightly shorter vampire was far stronger than him.

Twisting the mace from his grip, the vampire struck the man against his abdomen, knocking him to the ground.

"No no… Help!" The bandit spurted out, short of breath as he tried to crawl away.

Rounding the corner once more, he found two more bandits rushing to his aid. Before they could reach him, however, the mace came down once more, crushing the fallen bandit's skull into a mess of blood, pulp, and bones.

Spotting the two charging bandits, he took a deep breath in.

"_Yol Toor Shul!"_ He belted out, and the two men were soon engulfed in a blast of flames. Dropping their weapons, they dropped to the ground and attempted to roll around to put out the flames.

Before long, however, the screams and squirming ceased.

Ignoring the smell of burnt flesh, Henry retrieved his sword before proceeding further into the mine.

/

Roads south of Sarris, Two Weeks Later

Patrolling the roads was a dreadful slog today, for the new mercenary Lucy, it was a test of patience. From the tone in Maia's voice, the young sellsword figured they were up against a whole horde of greenskins. While they came across numerous sacked villages and dead commoners further east, something just didn't feel right about today. Instead of corpses lining the roads, they were completely empty. Lucy thought maybe the nearby village had not seen any orc incursions at all… or maybe, it was even worse than the eastern settlements.

"Do you think we'll see anything today?" Lucy asked another mercenary who showed a hint of annoyance at the question.

"You'd rather we take a horde on, just the six of us?" The mercenary answered scoffing.

"Cut the chatter and look alive ladies!" Maia suddenly shouted out and all chatter ended as they entered the forest clearing.

Approaching the sacked village of Sarris, the band drew their weapons.

Entering they were greeted by the usual sights of burnt and crumbling buildings, what had them all perplexed was the entire lack of people. Though much of the spilled blood was likely human, only the corpses of greenskins could be found. Fanning out, the mercenaries inspected the battlegrounds with curiosity and awe.

"Damn… Looks like we missed one hell of a party." Lucy commented, looking over a curb-stomped orc.

"Looks like some other merc company rolled through earlier, probably paid with whatever these sods could afford." Another mercenary speculated, spotting the numerous weapons left embedded in the deceased.

"No…" Maia spoke up, catching the attention of her subordinates.

Turning to their commander, the four women gasped at the sight of the dead giant. Its throat lay torn open but drained of its blood.

"What beast could've done this?" Maia asked herself.

"Hey lemme go!" A male voice screeched out.

"Look what I found, it seems we have an eavesdropper." The sixth mercenary revealed herself dragging a teenage boy by his arm.

"Come on! I wasn't spying, per se." The teenager said defending himself with a sheepish grin.

"What are you doing here kid?" Maia asked as the mercenaries turned to surround him.

"I'm just following orders…" He answered with a smug grin.

"Whose?" The redhead mercenary questioned, grabbing the young man by his collar.

/

The group trained tirelessly, the air whooshed as they practiced their spear thrusts. Though they had only lived within the stone walls of Blackthorne for a few weeks, their leader gave them little time to recover. Since day one, the knight had made it a priority to train the group of now sixty-four in combat. Due to time and resource constraints, the man could only teach them handling in simpler weapons, such as the spear, shield, and crossbow. The past week was a combination of exhausting physical training and conditioning, along with drills and marching.

Now they lined up, cloth and sack dummies had been set up before them. Upon his command, six stepped forward at a time, at his command, they would stab the targets.

"Strike!" He barked out.

"Kill!" The men and women shouted out as they stabbed the targets.

The group watched as the knight quickly singled out a teenage boy for his seemingly soft stab into the target.

"This isn't a dancing lesson, take his head off!" The black knight barked and the boy struck harder this time.

After being satisfied with the first six, he ordered them to the back and the next six stepped forward.

Again he ordered the row to stab the targets, like the last six, he immediately spotted a weak link with this bunch.

"Faster! I've seen corpses with more life than you!" He screamed at a young woman, the girl could barely move as she appeared to be completely exhausted.

"I… I need a minute, Sir Henry." The girl said, weekly, dropping her shield.

"A minute?! Is that what you'll say to an orc?! 'Don't kill me, I need a minute!'" The knight yelled directly into the girl's face, grabbing her collar and yanking her aside.

"Come here! Stab me." He said to the confusion of the young woman and the surprise of the rest of the unit.

"You heard me! Stab me!" He ordered and she finally complied.

Due to her fatigue, she could only muster a feeble attempt which was easily swatted away with a backhand.

"Come on! I said stab not pinch!" Slapping away another weak stab, this time he seemed even angrier.

"Will you ask an orc to give you a minute, before or after he has his way with you?!" He snapped, this time triggering a response from the woman who now charged him.

Henry anticipated this, however, as he quickly sidestepped the blow. Missing her target, the woman was met with a strong punch to the jaw. The knight then reached out and grabbed the spear from the woman before striking her in the stomach with the blunt end. He then struck her across the face with the shaft of the spear, knocking her to the ground.

Looking up, the woman lay on the ground, her own spear pointed at her face.

"I'm sorry, I failed you, my lord." The young woman said sorrowfully. Rather than give her another fist, the knight reached out and pulled the maiden to her feet.

"That's alright, don't be ashamed. All must start from somewhere." He said, lowering his voice to a whisper.

Suddenly, a horn was blown, interrupting the training session.

"Six horsemen approaching!" A sentry called out.

/

Leaving the security of the fort, Henry was confronted by six armed women on horseback. Their well-maintained weapons and nonstandard armor showed they were likely mercenaries. They also likely meant business, seeing as they had his scout captured. Pulling her horse forward, a pretty redhead approached him.

"Good day to you sir, I hear you're the one responsible for 'saving' the village of Sarris." The leader said, putting particular attention on the word 'saving'.

"No.." He answered.

"You didn't? But our friend here is adamant that you saved him along with the people you have now." The woman spoke gesturing towards the scout.

"I didn't 'save' them, I failed them, most were already dead or tainted by the beasts. I did what I could for those who survived." The knight clarified with a frown.

"Such modesty, how… admirable. Well regardless, we saw the outcome of your little 'battle' back in Sarris. Your scout told us of how you singlehandedly destroyed the raiding party, is that true?"

"Yes." He responded simply.

"Yes?… That's it? No bravado or tall talks of 'honor and valor'?" The woman said with a chuckle as the man simply shrugged his shoulders.

"Not much of a talker eh? What? Cat gotcha tongue?" Another mercenary teased to the indifference of the black knight.

"What do you want?" The knight spoke up, earning a grin from the redhead.

"What we want is you. My employer has a use for someone like you. I'll release your little friend here, and you'll come with us to meet with Lady Celestine herself."


	5. Chapter 5

5

Cloak and Dagger

/

Late Afternoon

Riding with the mercenaries, Henry sat rather quietly. Having agreed to accompany them back to the capitol in exchange for the safe return of his scout. Though he felt uncomfortable not being at the fort to manage its growth, he was confident in Claire's ability to lead and maintain order. That and Lady Maia agreed to offer limited protection and training in his absence in the form of three of her bodyguards.

Though he was initially wary of the reliability of the mercenaries, he was slightly eased when they were welcomed by the people, who explained Maia's reputation as one of the queen's trusted vassals.

To say they were surprised to see him summon Shadowmere was an understatement, it seemed that magic, in general, was a power wielded by few.

"You're awfully quiet, how's the fame?" Maia asked, pulling her horse alongside the knight's own.

"Fame?" Henry asked, a tone of confusion in his voice.

"Course. What? Did you think you could put entire warbands and bandit clans to the sword without turning a few heads? I wasn't lying when I said the queen herself wanted ya." The redhead answered with a playful smirk.

After a rounding another corner, the group of now four entered a large cornfield. Henry, feeling uneasy about the surrounding environment, put his hand on the hilt of his sword.

"Something wrong?" Maia asked, noticing his raised guard.

"We're not alone…" Henry said quietly, to the confusion of the mercenaries who heard or saw nothing out of the ordinary.

Suddenly, a ruffling of vegetation behind them forced them to turn around. Behind them, a group of five brigands emerged from the cornfield.

"Oi, look what we got here boys! The Queen of Mercs herself!" The leading bandit grinned.

"And it looks like she brought gifts too…" Another bandit commented, leering at the women.

Turning around to attempt to withdraw, they found four more bandits blocked the road ahead. To further their surprise, they found their male companion was missing entirely, leaving his horse behind.

"Where'd he go?" Another mercenary, Clover questioned.

"Wait, Kesh! There's only four of you! You're missing a man!" The lead bandit pointed out to the bafflement of the other bandits.

Before the unorganized highwaymen could mount a search, the vegetation was pushed to the side as another man in fur armor emerged from the field.

"Where were you? I thought we went over this, we'd take em from the north, and they'd take-" One bandit stepped forward to scold the tardy bandit before he was quickly silenced with a sudden stab.

Jaws dropped at the sudden betrayal from the stone-faced bandit who then set his sights at the remaining three who scrambled to respond.

"Let's charge em! We can run em down, forget about him!" Maia ordered her accompanying bodyguards who quickly charged into the fray.

With the addition of the riders to the fight, the three highwaymen stood no chance and were soon cut down in the ensuing melee.

After finishing the three men, Maia turned to find that the knight had returned and had made short work of the northern bandits. One lay decapitated, two lie facedown with throats and stomachs slashed open. The fourth lay on his back, the knight's sword buried in the man's now exposed skull.

The bandit leader sat on his knees with the knight directly behind him, his hands wrapped around his head. The three mercenaries watched as the black knight snapped the man's neck with the loud, audible breaking of bones.

"How'd you do that?" Maia asked the vampire as he looted the former bandit.

"What? It isn't hard to break a neck when you know what to do." He asked as he retrieved his sword, stepping on the corpse before prying the sword from the dead man's skull.

"No, him. How'd you get him to… you know." The redheaded beauty asked gesturing towards his thrall.

"A story for another day, let's be off." He answered, wiping his sword off on the man's clothing before sheathing the blade and walking back to his horse, the bandit following closely behind.

"What about him?" The sellsword leader pointed at the brigand following the knight.

Drawing his dagger, the knight calmly turned around. Placing one hand on his shoulder, he stabbed the man through the side of his neck, killing him instantly.

"What about him?" The knight replied to the shock of the mercenaries with his sheer ruthlessness.

Before they could question him further, however, the knight mounted his dark steed and rode forward to rejoin the party.

/

Hours Later

After traveling for several more hours the sun began to set, causing the group to search for a suitable place to set up camp for the night.

Before long, the party settled inside a cave slightly off the path. While Clover and Lucy worked to establish a fire, Henry and Maia brought the horses down to a nearby river.

"That's a beautiful horse you've got there, whatcha call her?" Maia asked, in appreciation for the dark beast.

"Shadowmere" He answered, carefully observing their surroundings.

"A fine name, how'd you get her?" Maia asked with a chuckle as she refilled her own waterskin.

"I claimed her as a prize when I killed her previous owner…" He answered calmly as he refilled his waterskin.

After rehydrating, the two made their way back to the camp. By now, Maia's bodyguards had finished with the fire and were setting up bedrolls.

After the camp was set, the four sat around the fire. Clover and Lucy prepared food for themselves, Maia set up alarm systems around the cave entrance. Stopping to look up, the redheaded mercenary saw that her guest was busy reading an old book aloud in a strange language she couldn't understand.

For Henry, this world was incredibly strange. To say the least. Looking up from his book of dragon shouts, he looked up to see his traveling partners eating together, their laughs and conversations sounding like that of sisters rather than mercenaries.

Though he didn't know them well, he felt he might be able to trust them. Just listening in to their idle conversations, he could tell the three women were incredibly close and loyal to one another.

In his experience, mercenaries were rarely worth the time or money, while they were skilled and easily accessible, there wasn't a shred of honor or loyalty in them. Many of them were glorified thugs and looters, while some were former soldiers unsatisfied with civilian life. In battle, if one side began to falter, they were the first to flee. Once the battle was won, they were the first to plunder. To see Maia's guards defy this common notion was intriguing, to say the least.

In many ways, it reminded him of the Companions.

He remembered when the civil war ended, his service contract ended shortly afterward. He didn't feel right just turning around and walking back home, he craved the sense of brotherhood he had in his old unit.

It was a hot day when he walked into Jorrvaskr, a fight had broken out between Athis and Njada when he approached the now late-Kodlak Whitemane in his quarters.

/

"_I would like to join the Companions sir."_ A young Breton in chainmail asked, to the mixed response of the two Nords.

"_Would you now? Hm, perhaps..."_ The grey-haired old Nord said, scratching his chin as he looked over the Breton.

"_Why do you want to be a Companion? Is it 'glory' you're after? Or perhaps its 'Fame and Fortune'?"_ Another Nord, a young man with brunette hair asked, skeptical of the Breton.

"_I want to be part of a brotherhood, a family…"_ The young man answered, receiving hard looks from both Nords.

"_Vilkas, take him to the yard and see what he can do."_ Kodlak ordered to which Vilkas immediately stood up and signaled for the Breton to follow him.

"Hey! You ok there stranger?" A feminine voice asked, stirring Henry from his memories.

/

Reopening his eyes, he found he the redheaded mercenary staring at him in confusion.

"Lost in thought…" He muttered to himself.

"You gonna sleep by the fire, or just sit over there in the cold?" Maia asked.

"No thank you." He answered, returning his attention to his book and continuing to read.

Even with him returning to his book, Maia continued to watch the man with peculiar interest. She didn't trust him and had many questions. Who was he? Who does he work for? _What_ is he? Seeing his powers over the bandit, his "stead" and his powers over it… he wasn't an ordinary man.

"You have questions. Ask." He said, noticing her staring.

"Who are you? Really?" Maia asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Sir Henry." He answered, still reading.

"You're a knight?" She questioned, skeptically.

"Yes, It's a long story." Flipping a page of his book.

"I see… Well, we should get some rest. We still have another few days worth of traveling." Maia said with a soft smile as she slunk into her bedroll and within minutes fell asleep.

Quietly putting his possessions away, he snuck over to the sleeping maiden.

He had to admit, despite finding her constant questioning somewhat annoying, he couldn't help but appreciate her beauty. Despite her masculine traits, her charm and grace couldn't be ignored.

She was by no means a 'conventional' woman, she likely had a martial upbringing, just like him. In a way, it reminded him of another long-forgotten love of his past. Images of a strong, tall, light-skinned Nordic woman in revealing leather and plate armor began to conjure in his mind.

Before he could begin to reminisce on the past, however, he felt his stomach rumble. To his horror, Henry felt his throat dry and constrict. Knowing the feeling all too well, he knew he would have to feed soon.

"Sleep well, my lady…" He whispered into the woman's ears as she stirred in her slumber.

Standing back up, he walked out of the cave, avoiding Maia's tripwire system. Blinking, his eyes quickly adjusted to the dark environment.

Abandoning the party, the vampire vanished into the night.

/

Not long after he left, Maia opened her eyes and scanned the cave for the knight. As she expected, he had vanished. Looking over, she found that he had left his horse behind along with the equipment and supplies she carried.

Walking down to the riverbanks, she found the tracks they had left behind from earlier. Along with a set of fresh ones leading further west. Recognizing the prints left from his distinct boots, the redhead followed them.

/

It didn't take long for her to track the prints back to its source. Rounding a section of trees, the sellsword found the knight with another man held up against a tree.

The man was being suspended off the ground, one hand wrapped tightly around his throat. He was being held for several moments, as he began to turn purple.

"You've been following us for the past three days…Talk…" The knight demanded calmly, dropping the man onto the ground, gasping for air.

"Ha! I just take orders and my payment, I dunno-" Before he could finish, his captor landed a hard right hook on his left jaw.

"Who? Give me a name." Henry demanded, grabbing the man by his hair and forcing him to look at him.

"You hit like a bitch!" The spy insulted, spitting blood onto the face of the knight. Reaching down to his boot, the man reached and drew a small dagger.

Just as he attempted to stab the Breton, the knight caught his wrist and soon twisted the knife inwards. He could only watch in shock as the knife moved closer and closer to his own body.

"Graaaah!" He screeched as the dagger was slowly forced into his own abdomen by the vampire who twisted and wiggled the blade around to the agony of the spy.

Ripping the dagger from the man's body, Henry tossed the small blade aside as the man attempted to weakly crawl away from him.

"That tore through at least two arteries, you're going into shock, soon you're body will fail." The black knight said as the man struggled to crawl, eventually, his body began to slow.

Turning to look back at his attacker, the spy saw the knight standing over him.

"But that's not what's going to kill you." He said to the man as he crouched down. Opening his mouth, two of his teeth became jagged and formed into a pair of menacing fangs.

Maia could only watch in horror as the man was feasted upon with a guttural cry of pain, dropping behind a tree, she could feel her heart race. Looking again, she watched as Henry raised his head, blood dripping from his obscured face.

After he finished his meal, the knight searched through the possessions of his victim. After taking his money, he discovered a small note folded in his pocket. Unfolding the note, he walked off further west.

Taking the opportunity, Maia stood up and quietly snuck back to camp. Though she was surprised and alarmed that someone was having her followed, witnessing the brutal slaying weighed heavily on her mind. In her mind, it validated the rumors and reports on the mysterious stranger. Though somewhat disturbed, Maia couldn't fault him for being whatever that was, after all, she killed for a living.

For the time being, she would keep this under wraps.

/

Days later

After more days of traveling, the group finally reached the capital of Ken. To Henry, the size and grandeur reminded him much of his home of Daggerfall. Approaching the gate, they were greeted by guards who eyed the black knight with suspicion before standing down at the presence of Maia.

Entering the city, Henry was greeted to the smell of freshly baked bread and brewing ale. His eyes narrowed as his ears were bombarded by the whispers and gossip from the people as he passed.

/

Ken, Capital of Eostia, Throneroom

Inside her throne room, Celestine stood at the foot of a table. A large map sat on top, with blue clay figurines standing in for her forces and red ones representing those belonging to her adversary, Olga Discordia. Standing at her side was her close friend, trusted general and bodyguard, Claudia Levantine.

"Tell me, Claudia, what kind of casualties have we sustained?" Celestine asked, taking a deep breath in and out.

"Unfortunately, these four were completely razed. No confirmed survivors I'm afraid my lady. These other two here were devastated, but some survived and fled." Claudia pointed to a series of villages along the northeastern border.

"What the situation here?" The High-Elf queen asked, pointing to the northwestern region of her kingdom.

"As confirmed by the Black Dogs and Lady Maia's forces, it seems that the hordes faced considerable opposition. At least two warbands destroyed, along with numerous reports of dead bandits all over the region." The general answered.

"Do we have any leads as to the identities of these mysterious figures?" The Goddess asked, turning to her bodyguard.

"Aside from rumors, nothing. Lady Maia denies it to be her doing as does Vault. Lady Maia said she would investigate our 'wildcard'. Shall I send a runner for any updates?" Her bodyguard answered before finishing with a question.

"No need… case closed!" Maia announced as she and her party burst into the throne room.

"Maia must you always-" Claudia looked up to scold the mercenary before stopping when seeing her dark companion behind her.

Stepping aside, Celestine turned white as a sheet when seeing the man, earning a head tilt of confusion from him.

Seeing her queen's fear, Claudia stepped in front of the High Elf and confronted the party.

"What's the meaning of this Maia?" She questioned, looking over the man and his apparel with sheer disgust.

"That's enough Claudia, stand down." The Goddess reborn ordered calmly, having composed herself.

Hearing this, the buxom knight stood aside, still glaring daggers at the man as he carefully approached the two.

To the surprise of the party, the man quickly kneeled before the queen and lowering his head as a squire would be knighted.

"Forgive my intrusion, your grace, I was under the impression that you were expecting me." He spoke calmly.

"You… I've seen you before." Celestine spoke up, to the surprise of everyone. "You are the one from my dreams. The black knight of another word. Arise." She commanded.

"Lady Maia told me you had need of my services." Henry spoke, rising to his feet.

"Yes, approximately two weeks ago, this one managed to infiltrate my palace." The Queen answered, signaling to a guard who in turn left the room. Shortly afterward, he reentered the room with a burlap sack in hand.

Upending the bag, a severed head fell from it. Henry scowled in disgust as he recognized the head. A Dremora, as evidenced by the dark black skin and red face tattoos.

"It made an attempt on Lady Celestine's life and managed to kill five soldiers before three of my knights managed to kill it." Claudia spoke up venomously.

"Is this monstrosity of you're world?" Celestine asked, clenching her nose at the stench.

"Not of my world, but of my dimension. We call those 'Dremora', they are amongst the species of Daedra that inhabit the planes of Oblivion. They often serve as foot soldiers for the Daedric Lords." He corrected the queen, to the mixed response of the party present.

"What are these 'Daedra'?" Celestine asked.

"The Daedra are essentially supernatural beings. Most lesser Daedra are vile, wicked creatures, the lords they serve are a different matter, however. Some are surprisingly kind and benevolent, though many are the purest form of evil embodied." He further elaborated.

"What do you mean by 'not your world'? What's Oblivion?" Claudia asked skeptical of the man's story.

"It's a separate realm within my universe, it's an inhospitable land of fire and ash where only these little bastards and their masters reside. I must say, it's truly strange to see one here…" He answered, drifting off towards the end.

"How so?" Maia asked.

"The Daedra are confined to the planes of Oblivion. Unless summoned by a powerful enough sorcerer." He answered again, this time seriously worrying both the queen and her advisor.

"My rival, Lady Olga Discordia of the Dark Elves is a powerful sorceress. Do you think she could've summoned this assassin?" Celestine asked fearfully.

"Impossible, unless she visited my universe, there's no way she'd know the spell to specifically summon a Dremora. It's far more likely a summoner from my world crossed over and has allied themselves with Lady Olga." Henry explained.

"I see… Then I must ask of you to search for the source of these demons and destroy it." She asked firmly.

"As you wish, there are further terms we must discuss, however." He answered.

"By all means, go ahead."

/

Having dismissed the knight, the group quickly moved on the matter of the outworlder.

"My lady, I do not trust that one. How do we know he wasn't the one who sent the assassin?" Claudia stepped forward.

"I understand your concerns friend, but I have a good feeling about him. I feel there is good within him, if not, why accept the burden of refugees? What do you think Maia?" Celestine countered respectfully.

"He's an interesting fella, that's for certain. He abandoned us when we got accosted by bandits, only to reappear out of nowhere and kill half of em. I couldn't get much from him I'm afraid, he didn't seem keen on talking too much. But I can say he's good… _very good_." Maia commented.

"Maia... Keep a close eye on that one. I feel there is more he isn't telling us." Celestine ordered.

/

Leaving the city alone, Henry rode through the countryside back north. Having accepted the quest from Lady Celestine, the Breton knight made his way quickly back north towards Fort Blackthorne.

Little did he know, he was being watched.

/

From across the world, an elven woman loomed over a crystal ball. A devilish smile spread upon her beautiful face as she watched the knight ride with peaked interest.

"There you are Dragonborn, come to me. When you do… all the pieces will come to play." She spoke in a seductive tone.

Turning, her smile grew even greater when she spotted her captive. Kneeling on the ground, her doppelganger sat restrained with glowing bindings and gagged. The woman appeared just like her, with long raven hair and a pair of pointed elven ears. An extravagant purple corset covered her voluptuous body and tanned skin.

"Fear not my dear… your part will come soon." She laughed as the woman struggled against the magical bonds.


	6. Chapter 6

6

A Trip Through Hell

Having left the company of Maia and her mercenaries, Henry rode at full pace. Forgoing rest, he would arrive back at Fort Blackthorne in about a day. Once back, he would assess the current situation including resources, training, population, etc.

Unbeknownst to him, he was being watched again. This time, a cloaked figure watched him from atop a hill. Eventually, the target moved further out of range, the figure quickly mounted a horse before moving to shadow him.

/

A Day later

Having ridden day and night, Henry managed to arrive back at Fort Blackthorne in the late hours of the night. Greeted by the watchmen, the gate was quickly opened for him.

Entering, he noted the repairs to the walls appeared complete. While not completely restored due to the lack of stone, not having gaps in the walls gave him a bit of comfort. As it was late, only watchmen were seen out and about.

He noted the additional housing erected, as the fort was originally designed for a maximum capacity of around forty at most. While roughly designed, the secondary barracks stood firm with the capacity of at least another thirty.

"My lord! It's so very good to see you again!" One of his guards ran up to quickly address the knight.

"Sergeant Bauer. Good to see you alive and well. How goes the watch?" Henry turned, recognizing the man.

Bauer was one of the few he promoted to a leadership position, his natural leadership and hunger to learn made him an ideal candidate.

"All quiet so far, my lord. Nothing to report." The young man replied.

"I see, as you were then." Henry said, dismissing the sergeant.

Walking to the keep, Henry greeted the courtyard patrol before entering.

"Henry! You're back!" A harmonious voice said in joy as the form of a dark elf emerged.

Stepping forward, Henry was immediately greeted with a bone-crushing hug from the elven maiden.

"Good to see you too. How have things been?" The knight said with a slight blush.

"We had another twelve refugees arrive yesterday afternoon, bringing our population up to seventy-six. The hunting party managed to bring in a deer and a handful of rabbits yesterday, though we still lack a steady source of reliable food." Claire explained, slowly releasing her grip on the Breton.

"I've managed to secure food shipments, they should be here within the next few days. What else?" He added.

"Our scouts have located another bandit clan, it's the same one that's been harassing our people for days now." She answered.

"Have they now?"

/

Wasting no time, Henry snuck through the darkness. Following closely behind him was a squad of eleven of his guards. Spotting a smoke column, they traced the source to an encampment nestled at the bottom of a valley.

After climbing down into the narrow valley, the vampire surveyed the camp. The camp was basic and was composed of six tents and a central firepit. "On watch" was a sentry of four men, though saying they were on guard duty was being generous. In reality, all were situated around the campfire and were more concerned with eating and keeping warm than guarding the camp.

After ensuring there was no perimeter patrol, Henry turned his attention to Sergeant Bauer.

"Sergeant, ambush formation b." He whispered to the sergeant who nodded at the order before sneaking off with five guards

After ensuring his own cell was sufficiently hidden behind cover, he looked up to see a bright flash of a mirror. After confirming Bauer's cell was in position, he drew his own bow and drew an arrow and took aim.

Releasing the arrow, it flew with the speed and precision of a hawk. Finding its target, it instantly fell a bandit carrying a handful of logs to the fire.

"What the?!" One man exclaimed in shock as the sentries' attention shifted to the dead bandit.

Before they could raise the alarm, the remaining three were dropped by a volley of crossbow bolts from Henry's flank.

"You boys say somethi-" Another bandit said emerging from one of the tents before he was cut down by two bolts from Bauer's group.

"Wake up! We're under attack!" A sixth bandit yelled out, stepping from another tent. The crossbowmen fired again, though this time the man's iron plate armor deflected the bolts.

"Charge!" The black knight ordered before charging downhill to the camp with the sergeant's cell following suit.

Within moments, the camp was roused from sleep. Despite this, the clearly tired bandits were slow to respond and were quickly killed.

Dueling with the bandit leader, swords bound as the two leaders battled for supremacy. Dodging a sword swing, Henry sidestepped his opponent before slashing the man across his unprotected throat. Dropping his sword, the man fell to his knees. Ending the duel, the knight gripped his sword with two hands before swiftly decapitating the man with a downwards swing.

Turning to his retinue, Henry found them finishing off the remaining bandits.

After clearing out the camp, the knight retrieved a brass whistle from his belt. With a long blow, five men and women arrived with a wagon and horse. The combined group then quickly went to work looting the camp along with its former occupants.

/

Early Morning

Returning to the fort, Henry sat at the desk he'd set up in the main hall. Looking over the logbooks, he noted the current food stocks could support the population for at least another week. It seemed that his scout reports came up empty for any other bandit cells. To compensate, it appeared his gatherers had found a suitable location for fishing and hunting.

Reading over Bauer's report, the sergeant had requested another ten recruits to his retinue. Included within the request were the names of the additional ten men and women as well as further equipment requests.

"Hmmm" Henry scowled.

"Something on your mind?" He turned to see Claire coming down the stairs.

"Bauer is recommending I train another ten recruits for the retinue." Henry answered turning his attention to another logbook.

"And?" She came up behind him, putting a hand on his shoulder as she looked over his report.

"We don't have enough armor or weapons to supply them, I'd have to forge them myself. And we're running on a limited time frame as it is." He answered scrolling through the logistics report.

"Time frame?" She tilted her head in confusion.

"Lady Celestine was attacked by an assassin from my universe, it was a demonic entity summoned by a powerful sorcerer in league with Olga Discordia. I'm to discern the identity of the summoner and destroy them." The Breton explained, flipping to another page.

The dark elf frowned as the knight closed the book and stood up from the desk.

"So… How are you going to do that?" She asked as the knight turned towards the front door.

/

Pushing through bushes and branches a lone figure bound through the forest. Though the vegetation was dense, the figure was mindful to move slowly, as to prioritize stealth.

Entering a small clearing, the individual stepped out of the treeline. Entering the sunlight revealed a curvaceous redhead in a revealing vest and stockings.

Looking down, Maia noted the pair of footprints ahead of her. Sneaking off in the direction of the prints, she pushed through another bush and spotted him.

The Knight

At around one hundred yards away, he calmly walked through the woods and into a cave. Maia quickly followed suit, though cautious not to make too much noise.

Entering the cave, she watched as the hooded man walked further into the cave and into a single passageway. Carefully shuffling along, she felt he was unaware of her presence. Rounding a corner, Maia slightly increased her walking speed to avoid losing sight.

Rounding the corner, she found the hallway opened up to a small room. Looking around, it appeared to be used before as it contained a small firepit in the center, a table, and chairs as well as two bedrolls.

It appeared one of the bedrolls were currently occupied with a large blanket covering the presumably sleeping knight.

Approaching it, she noticed something… off. Taking a closer look at the occupant, she could see a small patch of blood near the head area.

Reaching to pull back the covers, a voice suddenly spoke up from behind her.

"You don't want to do that…" A male voice said softly into one of her ears, sending chills down her spine.

Turning around, she was confronted by the black knight, having appeared seemingly out of nowhere. Though his face was obscured, his glowing red eyes practically burned right through hers.

"Why are you following me?" He asked calmly.

Though somewhat scared of the man, Maia didn't show it. As she knew if she did, he would take advantage of that. Instead, she maintained her usual aura of confidence.

"Just doing as I'm paid. I don't ask questions." The sellsword responded with a sly grin.

"Don't" He said with a glare as he turned to walk out of the room.

"Why not? Or you'll kill me? Like that spy, you killed that night on the road?" Maia countered with a smirk as the knight stopped dead in his tracks.

Turning back to face her, he stared her down.

"Then you know what I am…" He spoke.

Maia frowned as she stared him right back. He walked forward, forcing the redhead to back up slightly.

"... And you know what I'm capable of… I could kill you in so many ways, and no one would know it was me." He spoke eerily to her as he continued his advance, slowly, like a predator closing in on its next meal.

Maia watched with slight trepidation as the vampire closed in, opening his mouth and revealing his fangs.

Before she could become his lunch however, he calmly closed his mouth. Narrowing his eyes he leaned into one of her ears.

"...But you're not who I'm here for." He whispered.

Stepping back, he smelled the air above them before reaching out and grabbing Maia by her wrist. His free hand shut tightly before reopening, and dark blue energy formed in his hand.

/

Rounding the corner, a cloaked figure entered the small room. Spotting the occupied bedroll, it slowly crept forward. Reaching behind them, the figure drew a black dagger from a sheath on its belt.

Approaching the bedroll, the assassin raised the dagger. Pulling back the sheets, they were surprised by the dead body lying before them. The victim, a man lay with his throat slashed open, his eyes wide open.

Standing back up, the figure was quickly grabbed and pinned to the wall by the black knight with the mercenary right behind him.

After forcing the assassin's hand to drop the dagger, Henry reached up and ripped off their hood and mask. This revealed the figure to be a beautiful young, female dark elf with long blond hair tied back into a ponytail. A pair of dark brown eyes stared at him with pure contempt.

"Unhand me, you bastard!" She demanded.

"What's the plan for her? I doubt she'll tell us where Olga is." Maia commented from behind the knight.

"No… She doesn't have to tell us anything." He spoke, opening his mouth, revealing his fangs to the wide-eyed elf.

Sinking his fangs in the elf, he made sure to only drain a small amount of blood from the would-be assassin. Still, he could feel her heartbeat and hear her whimpers like that of a dying puppy. Eventually, he felt her resistance soften and he slowly released the dark elf.

Looking back at her, he found her pupils dilated and she appeared stone-faced. A shame he couldn't finish, elven blood always tasted the best. Leaning back in, he smelled her new bitemark before speaking to her.

"Run home to your mistress…" He quietly commanded and the elf quickly nodded before running off.

"Why let her go? Getting soft now?" Maia asked with a smirk.

"That way we can track her…" Henry answered, taking a long whiff of the air before walking off towards the exit.

/

Riding after the dark elf, the two maintained at least a one hundred yard distance to avoid detection from any orcish patrols. As Maia's had left her horse in her fief of Ansur, the two rode together on Shadowmere.

"Are we seriously going to attack the Dark Fortress by ourselves?" Maia asked, holding closely onto the vampire knight.

"No, we're going to infiltrate the fortress, kill the summoner and retreat." Henry clarified.

"That's it? That's the plan?" Maia criticized.

"It's the best one, given the circumstances." He retorted.

Even though she was definitely wary of the vampire, there was certainly something… romantic about him and the situation. Here she was riding on the back of a knight's horse, holding onto him like some rescued princess. A complete tale out of a children's book if she ever read one.

Then she smiled jokingly at the thought. He wasn't some shining knight of virtue on a noble steed, rather, he was more of a bloodthirsty hellspawn on a clearly demonic creature… but maybe… the unknown… that's what interested her.

"Are you alright back there, my lady?" He asked, snapping her from her thoughts.

"Fine. Still got the scent, ol' faithful hound?" The sellsword asked teasingly.

"She's still close, hopefully, we're not far… I don't like the place." He answered unamused.

Looking around, the surrounding environment was unsettling, to say the least. The colors gray and black were largely the only colors to describe the Badlands. The land was completely barren and devoid of virtually any signs of life.

"That looks like where we need to go." Maia pointed out as a large black castle stood on the edge of the horizon.

"And it looks like she's making her entrance, we should get closer." Henry said, pointing out the now dismounted elf approaching a sidewall.

Approaching the Black Fortress, the duo were surprised to find no sentries posted to oppose them. Catching up to the enthralled dark elf, they watched as she ran her hand along the stonewall. Eventually stopping at one brick before pushing on it, springing a hidden door.

Entering the fortress, Henry could feel the magic become stronger and the air gets even heavier. Removing a flash from his belt, he took a quick swig before hooking it back on his belt.

Blinking hard, he felt his senses sharpen, the room appeared brighter and he could even hear the slow drips of water from the ceiling. Looking behind him he saw that Maia was following closely behind him with a hand on one of his pauldrons while holding an axe.

Looking closer, he noted the slight hint of fear as she closely stepped where he stepped. Despite this, he had to applaud her for her fearlessness and determination.

Following the assassin, he watched her step through a door before it quickly vanished, and two more doors opened in its place.

"Dammit, I lost her." He said, sniffing the air.

"How? We were hot on her ass for the past few hours." Maia questioned, poking through a pouch on her belt.

"Illusion magic… whoever cast it knew what they were doing, this whole castle reeks of it." Henry answered, grabbing Maia before picking a door.

Stepping into a new room, the door instantly shut behind them. The two were surprised when the room was soon lit up by torches on the walls.

Surrounding them were six orcs. The knight and the mercenary looked to each other for a brief moment, nodding they drew their weapons before engaging their foes.

Sprinting, the knight drew first blood when he lunged forward, slashing an orc across the throat. Turning, he blocked an axe swing before elbowing the creature in the face before slashing it across the abdomen.

Nearby, Maia followed suit and charged into the fray. She parried a club swing with one of her short swords before slashing an orc with her other sword. Seeing a massive battleaxe swing in her direction she dive rolled past the axeman before stabbing the creature with an over the shoulder backstab.

Turning, she spotted an orc charging her with a crude Warhammer raised for a downwards strike. Reacting quickly, the mercenary pulled a throwing knife from her belt before lobbing it at the beast. Catching the orc's throat, the orc stopped his charge altogether before collapsing to the floor.

Maia was then knocked to the floor with a swing across the stomach from a wooden club. Before she could rise, an orc stood over her, slowly raising his club for a downwards strike. But before the club could fall upon the sellsword, the orc's hand was sliced off.

Crying out in pain, the orc gripped his now amputated wrist before he was soon decapitated with a sword swing.

With the orc now dead, the redhead was greeted by the black knight standing behind the now dead orc. Stepping over the corpse, he quickly approached the downed mercenary.

"Are you alright my lady? Are you injured?" He asked, sheathing his sword.

"Just… got the wind knocked outta me. Bastard got lucky." The sellsword replied, extending her hand out to the knight.

Pulling her to her feet, the two proceeded ahead to the next door.

Upon entering the next room, they were greeted by a winding staircase. At the top of the stairs, another group of orcs blocked a door and were holding their position firmly.

"Wait, allow me." Henry said, holding Maia back. Stepping in front of her, he took in a deep breath.

"_Yol Toor Shul!"_ He shouted and the tightly packed group of spears and shields were engulfed in flames.

"Showoff…" Maia pouted as the orcs were reduced to piles of ash and burnt flesh.

Rushing to the next room, the duo wasted no time with the locked door. Breaking down the door, the two entered what appeared to be a throneroom. Laying at the foot of the high throne, Olga Discordia lie tied up with a cloth gagging her.

Immediately rushing to her aid, Henry attempted to treat her injuries while Maia tried cutting away her restraints.

"She won't be able to walk out of here on her own, find some way for us to move her. If this is as bad as I think this is, we'll need her help." Henry said to Maia who nodded before running off.

After treating her visible wounds, the Breton cut the dark queen's bindings off. Collapsing into his arms, the dark elf soon awoke.

"You came… my knight in shining armor." She said with a smile, running her hands weakly along the black knight's armor

"Where is he?" Henry demanded, and the sorceress immediately pointed to the door on the other side of the room.

"Stay here, I'll be back for you." He said softly to a sigh of affection from the dark elf as he walked to the door.

Entering the next room cautiously, he found it was a bedroom with a large, luxurious bed in the center. Expensive dressers and tapestries adorned the room, but what piqued the knight's interest was the dark red curtains in the corner.

Seeing the shade of a figure, Henry drew his sword to a stab position as he quietly snuck to the curtain.

Pulling back the curtain, however, Henry was greeted by the sight of the assassin from earlier cradling the injured Olga who lay chained and injured but conscious.

"Chloe... you returned to me." The dark elf sorceress said weakly.

"Fear not my lady, I won't let the pretender harm you." Chloe said, stroking Olga's hair.

"Pretender? But that means…" Henry gasped, realizing the truth.

Turning Henry was confronted by the clacking of heels as the "captive" from earlier revealed herself at the doorway.

Grinning evilly, she pointed a dark staff at the knight. Soon, the Breton was launched back into the wall from a lightning bolt.

Grunting in pain, he attempted to rise to his feet before being struck once more. Landing against the wall, he managed to block the third strike with a ward spell.

Though he could weather the imposter's attacks, he was unable to move from the position and had to concentrate fully on casting the ward. After several more lightning bolts, his ward was broken and he was forced to dive out of the way of another attack.

Landing on his stomach, he watched as the summoner raised her staff for another shock. Before she could cast it, however, she was struck by a powerful fireball that sent her flying into a tapestry.

Looking to his left, he was surprised to see Olga standing, though severely injured. With one hand on her handmaiden's shoulder for support and another for casting spells, she joined the magical duel.

"I'll have your head imposter!" Olga growled, fire burning in her eyes.

Standing up, the imposter grinned. To the shock of all, "her" skin began to burn off from Olga's attack.

"I suppose I won't be needing this anymore…" The doppelganger said with a demonic voice as it began to shed its hair.

Henry could only stare in bewilderment as the skin fell off, revealing rotting flesh and bone. Underneath the fake torso was a tattered blue robe, beneath the hood was the decomposing face of a male Wood Elf.

"Who are you?" Henry demanded, assuming a guard stance in front of the two dark elves.

"My dear boy… I am but a humble subject of the divines, like you." The sorcerer answered, causing the Breton some confusion.

"Enough of this!" Olga roared, launching another fireball, this time though the Bosmer casually deflected the spell.

"Now Olga is that any way to treat a guest?" He casually taunted the dark elf.

"What do you want?!" Olga demanded.

"Ha… I want everything… I had everything… an empire in my grasp and wealth to rival the gods'... but it was not to be. I was denied my empire, my legacy." The summoner said with demonic smile and laugh.

Looking closer at the sorcerer's attire, Henry spotted something. A faded symbol of a red diamond was emblazoned onto his robes.

"It's you… the usurper." He spat in disgust at the former Bosmer.

"Yes. And now that you're here Dragonborn… I have an offer for you." The lich said with a wicked smile.

"What is that?" Henry answered.

"A place at my side, from this world I will forge a mighty kingdom. You can be the heir to _my_ legacy." The sorcerer answered.

"Why me?" The Breton asked, still maintaining his guard position.

"You deserve greatness, as did I. We were both spurned by those we served... you even more so. Had _he_ only accepted you-" The sorcerer answered hauntingly.

"Enough! My blade is not for hire, I will have none of this plotting." Henry spat out venomously.

At this, the undead caster raised his staff. Speaking a few words in a foreign tongue, a group of roughly thirty undead soldiers formed up behind him.

"A pity...seize them." The lich commanded and the undead pikemen slowly advanced hardpacked in a phalanx.

"Take my hand!" Olga shouted and the knight quickly grabbed one of the dark queen's hands before the three were teleported.

/

After seemingly passing through a solid floor, the group ended up landing through the roof of a carriage.

"Hot damn stranger! You certainly know how to make an entrance!" Maia said with a hearty laugh from the driver's seat.

Soon after, a wall behind them was blown open. Looking back, the undead sorcerer levitated with his staff in hand and a group of around forty undead guards following behind. Raising his staff, the lich spoke in a foreign tongue.

The four felt the earth ripple as thousands of decomposing and skeletal hands and limbs burst through the ground. Within moments, seemingly thousands of undead warriors rose from their graves before turning their attention to the carriage.

"Drive!" Henry commanded.

"Hiyah!" Maia shouted as she lashed the reins of the horse hard. Immediately, Shadowmere took off with almost heartstopping speed as the undead horde moved to surround the carriage.

Riding off, the group found themselves pursued by a large group of undead horsemen. Dodging an arrow, Henry turned to the driver.

"My bow! Give me my bow!" He shouted and the redhead quickly obliged, reaching into the dark beast's saddlebag before retrieving a silver-white bow and matching arrows.

Wasting no time, he snatched the bow and quiver from the sellsword. Drawing an arrow he took aim, releasing the arrow, it instantly vaporized the horse-archer. Releasing another arrow, it fell short and slew the rider's mount. This pattern continued as the knight continued to suppress the pursuers with his holy bow and arrows.

"We can lose em in there!" Maia pointed out as they began to approach a high rising mountain range.

Entering the valleys, Henry grabbed a filled lantern along with a spare can before dumping the contents all along the narrow road. After emptying it as much as possible along the road, the knight projected a fireball into the sizeable puddle of fuel, instantly igniting it.

Attempting to catch up, many of the riders unwittingly road into the fire and were destroyed instantly. Those who arrived later stopped immediately at the barrier.

Seeing the pursuers discontinue their chase, the knight sat down in the front seat next to Maia. Though all appeared quiet, he kept a tight grip on his bow as he kept a keen eye out for any ambushes. Looking into the carriage, he found Olga laying on her back silently while her retainer closely tended to her. Glancing back to the driver, he found Maia staring at him intensely.

"Who was that?" Maia asked sternly, turning he found both Olga and her courtier looking to him for answers as well.

Sighing, he prepared for the next questions.

"Jagar Tharn…"


	7. Chapter 7

7

Taking up Arms

Seated at tables surrounding him was the council and strongest vassals of Celestine Lucross.

Seated to his left was a woman with long blond hair and lilac-blue eyes, clad in a revealing combination of primarily cloth and plate. This woman was known as Alicia Arcturus and was apparently highly renowned for her relation to a previous monarch and her skill as a warrior. Like Claudia Levantine, she eyed him with suspicion and distrust.

Sitting next to her was a young pink-haired girl who slightly resembled Alicia. This was Prim Fiorire, her younger cousin. Unlike her distrusting cousin, Prim smiled and gave off an aura of friendliness.

To her right sat Maia who gave him a teasing wink and grin before leaning forward to hear him better.

Looking to his right, he was greeted by the solemn, professional nod of a woman with short dark hair. Dressed in silk robes and wielding an almost emotionless glance was Kaguya, the head Shrine Maiden, and Celestine's religious head.

To her right, was the small form of a halfling. Clad in animal hides and curly red hair sat Luu-Luu, the queen's personal weaponsmith, and vassal. She seemed highly interested in the knight's dark armor and eyed it up and down with curiosity.

Standing beside him were Olga and Chloe who stood shackled together.

Sitting in the center was the goddess reborn herself, with her bodyguard and marshall Claudia standing directly behind her.

"Well stranger, I have summoned my council. Lady Maia told me you encountered… complications when attempting to destroy the summoner." Celestine spoke.

"Yes, while we managed to take Lady Olga and her courtier into custody, we were compelled to retreat by the summoner Jagar Tharn." Henry answered, nodding.

"Who is this Jagar Tharn?" Alicia asked.

"Jagar Tharn was a powerful elven sorcerer and a notorious traitor to the state. Roughly two-hundred years ago, he abducted and imprisoned then-Emperor Uriel Septim the seventh then, using illusion magic assumed his identity. He "reigned" for ten years before being bested and destroyed." Henry recalled in a quick history lesson.

"If he was destroyed, how does he live now to oppose us?" Claudia asked.

"Though I don't know how, he appears to have achieved some form of undeath." The knight answered.

"So how do we kill him?" Luu-Luu blurted out.

"It isn't that simple…" He answered, frowning.

"There has to be a way, surely there must be one." Alicia insisted.

"Destroy his body and he will simply steal another, I have means of which I can imprison him." The Breton answered.

"What stopped you from taking down Tharn back at the fortress then?" Maia asked, raising an eyebrow.

"As I was unaware of his identity until then, I lacked the means of capturing him at the time... I will not make that mistake again." He replied in an aggressive tone towards the end.

"Lady Maia you say you were attacked by a horde of undead, just how many did he have?" Celestine asked turning to the Queen of the Mercenaries.

"When we left, at least a thousand. But with how many corpses buried in the badlands, I'd wager he'd have a few thousand raised at this point." Maia answered.

Looking at each other, the council spoke to one another amongst whispers and low tones, occasionally looking up to the knight who only stared on blankly. Eventually, the council finished their deliberation and looked back to the knight standing before them.

"Good sir, though you failed in destroying the summoner, you managed to capture Olga and end one conflict. Soon she will face her due justice." Celestine said, breaking the silence. "As such, I believe you are to be rewarded appropriately, name a price and I will grant it."

"I ask for Lady Olga and her handmaiden, Chloe." He answered, earning looks of shock and cocked eyebrows. Meanwhile, Olga only smirked at the reactions within the room and Chloe was immediately visibly disgusted at the notion.

"You can't possibly think we'll let them go! You have no idea what horrors that she-devil is responsible for!" Alicia stood up angrily.

"I acknowledge that, and as such, I propose an alternative to imprisonment or execution." Henry calmly answered.

"We're listening…"

"I propose to conscript both Lady Olga and Chloe into my newly forming retinue. There they will serve a life contract under me as their commanding officer." He spoke bluntly.

"Your retinue? But sir, you are legally an outlaw. You serve no liege and do not answer to any laws. What guarantee do we have that you will serve the interests of the alliance?" Kaguya spoke for the first time, surprising Henry with her eloquence.

"We don't even know your name, let alone what lies beyond that hood you wear." Claudia added in.

Sighing, Henry reached up. Grabbing the top of his hood, he slowly let it drop to his shoulders.

Dropping his dark shroud revealed his long, nearly shoulder-length brunette hair. Beneath that was the solemn face of a young Breton man. In spite of his unsettling ruby red eyes, he was quite fetching and drew a few eyes.

"My name is Sir Henry Morrel of Highrock. Knight and former retainer in the court of King Armel the third, ruler of the Kingdom of Daggerfall. Former Legate of the Imperial Legion and Thane of all nine holds of the Kingdom of Skyrim." He introduced himself and his titles.

/

"And is there anyone who can verify that?" Alicia cocked an eyebrow, skeptical.

"If you won't believe me fine, I'm prepared to deal with Tharn, with or without you." He said turning to leave.

"I stand with him." Turning, Henry found it was Maia who had risen from her chair. "I fought alongside him, he's earned my respect and blade."

"Maia, I presume you will vouch for him?" Celestine suggested to which Maia calmly nodded. From there, Celestine turned to her council who all nodded before stepping forward to the Breton. Immediately, the knight drew his sword before kneeling before the queen with his sword resting on his knee.

"Sir Henry of Highrock, will you recognize me, Queen Celestine Lucross, first of my name, as the true and rightful ruler to the Kingdom of Eostia?" Celestine spoke formally and professionally.

"I will."

"Will you raise your banner in my name and in defense against all enemies, foreign and domestic? She asked.

"I will." He said simply.

"Will you raise your blade in the defense of the people of Eostia against any and all who threaten them?"

"I will." He repeated.

"Do you agree to be bound by oath in service to me and my kingdom in this life and in the next?" She continued.

"I agree. I will serve you now and forever. Should I be slain, I will rise from my grave and serve you once more."

"Sir Henry Morrel, by my right as Queen, I name thee baron of Castle Blackthorne and contract holder to Olga Discordia." She concluded. "You may rise."

Rising to his feet, the knight's gaze was met by that of the queen.

"I await your command, my queen." Henry spoke.

"Remain in the palace for the time being, we await on Vault who is currently delayed by some minor fighting. There is much to discuss…" Celestine answered.

/

Days Later

After the council meeting, there was relative peace along the frontline, aside from the isolated border clash. Meanwhile, the Daggerfall Knight was ordered to remain at the palace for another council meeting, this time involving Vault, leader of the largest mercenary company, The Black Dogs.

Henry was granted a guest room within the palace. Sitting at the desk provided, he carefully opened a letter sent to him.

He quickly found it was sent from Claire who wrote to him regarding the evergrowing population of his new fief. It appeared that the booming settlement had drawn the eyes of a merchant and a few tradesmen. Soon he would have to expand beyond the walls and form a town bellow should the influx continue. It appeared the expansions he made to the retinue were well underway and training went seamlessly, despite this, his retinue was still far from full strength.

It also appeared that Claire managed to convince one of the tradesmen, an amateur blacksmith to forge spears and other basic polearms in exchange for the knight's endorsement to become a fully licensed smith. Without a legal endorsement from a nobleman or the Blacksmith's Guild, he was legally confined to only producing tools.

Finally, food shipments appeared to be arriving steadily, augmenting the town's food supply. Hopefully, they would become productive enough to be self-sufficient.

Concluding the letter, the knight folded it up before placing it into his pocket. Immediately after, he quickly formed a response letter with further instructions.

Not long after finishing the letter and closing it with his seal, a faint knock came at his door.

"My lord, Lady Celestine requests your presence." The guard spoke from the other side of the door.

The knight raised his hood, reached into a nearby bowl of fruit before pocketing an apple. Rising to his feet, he made his way quickly to the door.

Opening it, he was greeted by a nervous young soldier.

"Give this to a courier, have them deliver it to Lady Claire at Castle Blackthorne." He said handing the letter to the soldier who quickly nodded before running off.

Calmly walking down the corridor, the black knight was greeted with a variety of emotions and reactions from servants and guards alike. Some avoided his piercing gaze entirely while others greeted him respectfully.

Ignoring the hidden glances and whispers, Henry quickly entered the throne room.

/

Entering the exquisite room, Henry found the council assembled around a large map on a table. This time another man had joined the group. He stood tall and proud, clad in a combination of sleeveless leather and plate, a mighty greatsword lay sheathed on his back.

"Ah, Sir Henry, good to see you again, now that you're here we can introduce you to Commander Vault." Celestine spoke warmly, smiling at the knight.

"So, this is the mighty slayer I have heard so much of!" Vault spoke with a grin as he turned to address the black knight. "They say you eat hearts and spit venom." The man appeared a scarred, seasoned veteran with a charismatic and rousing voice.

"Men believe in the simple explanations, that way they can avoid what they fear…" Henry answered as he took he stepped forward.

"That's a fine suit of armor you've got there, black as night. Where'd you get it?" Vault asked, eying the knight's ebony mail.

"Off the corpse of the last to wear it, after I shattered his skull…" The vampire responded coldly as he took a spot around the map.

"Might I remind both of you we have pressing concerns?" Celestine spoke, interrupting the tense exchange between the two men.

Looking over the map, the Breton noted the differences since the last time he'd viewed it. As weeks had passed, it seemed the combined armies had since consolidated their holdings and stabilized the frontlines. Though he would've been somewhat comforted by the current situation, two things bothered the young knight.

One, the mercenaries.

While he understood from first-hand experience the usefulness of mercenaries and the leverage they provided. He was disturbed with just how reliant the alliance was on mercenary groups such as the Black Dogs and Maia's band, not to mention the many smaller companies likely operating.

In Tamriel, mercenaries had free reign to do as they pleased prior to the Imperial legislation that saw the creation of the Fighter's Guild. It was only with the official endorsement and legal backing provided by the empire were laws and regulations set in place for mercenary groups. He remembered hearing the story of a Dark Elf guild commander ordering the bloody purge of an entire mercenary group when they were found to be providing illegal hist sap to their members.

However, in the cases of nations beyond Imperial jurisdiction, the guild had no presence or influence, and thus mercenaries robbed, raped, and pillaged to their hearts' content.

For Eostia, it appeared the majority of its combined forces were made up of various mercenary companies.

Two, the lack of enemy activity

Aside from his party's escape from the north, the enemy had made no apparent moves, no advances, no scouting parties, no raids, nothing.

It likely meant the enemy was busy gathering their strength for something major. It was only a matter of time when.

"From my understanding, you were delayed Vault?" Celestine spoke to the mercenary leader.

"Aye, we got bogged down a while by a bandit clan, took some losses, wasn't anything we couldn't handle though." Vault answered with a chuckle.

"What do we know about the current situation regarding Tharn and his forces? Celestine asked turning to her commanders.

"So far, the frontlines have been relatively quiet. Aside from the occasional border clash, scout reports come up empty for enemy activity." Claudia explained calmly.

"Ha! You call this a war?! If I didn't know any better it seems you ended both wars friend!" Vault spoke up with a hearty laugh as he slapped the knight on the back.

"Indeed, it's never been this quiet in years." Alicia commented scratching her chin.

"I wouldn't celebrate yet, our enemy still lies with considerable numbers ready for battle. It is likely they are taking time to muster and consolidate their forces into a massive host." Henry spoke up, breaking up the short-lived joy.

"Then why not take out the trash before it stinks? If all they're focused on is mustering troops, why not take em by surprise?" Maia countered the knight's assessment.

"I could lend my Half-Lings! We could lead the attack!" Luu-Luu piped up cheerfully.

"Before we could reach the Black Fortress our forces would have to cross the red valley, we'd be at risk of funneling our forces into a trap." The knight pointed out on the map the numerous spots for potential ambush points. "Assuming we reach the castle, there's thousands of undead and greenskins to contend with along with the formidable defenses and endless resources of the castle itself."

"What do you suggest instead, Sir Henry?" Celestine asked.

"Firstly, we shouldn't rush this invasion by simply throwing any and all available troops at the fortress. According to the report from Lady Claudia, the western front is largely undermanned and will require time to rebuild its strength. We should plan this invasion, taking into consideration that should it fail, we need to be in a position to defend the capital." The knight spoke, garnering the attention of the council. "Secondly, instead of a directly northern route, an eastern route, though longer, would allow us to bypass the northern defenses entirely."

"In preparation for the offensive, we should ensure stability and a stable pool of manpower as our army is largely depleted from the war." Claudia added in, agreeing with the Breton.

"I'm of a mind with Claudia and Henry, we'll prepare an offensive on our eastern front. You are all dismissed for the time being." Celestine concluded, agreeing with the duo.

/

After the council assembly ended, Henry was ordered to remain in the capital for another few days. As being the newest lord in the realm, it demanded he be recognized in an extravagant feast attended by the entirety of Eostia's ruling class. If there was one thing he didn't want to be reminded about his home of Daggerfall, it was the shameless vanity and gluttony of the nobility.

Reentering his guest quarters, the Dragonborn was greeted by the lovely sight of the goddess reborn who sat patiently in a chair, seemingly waiting for him.

"My queen. Forgive me, I was unaware you were planning on visiting." Henry commented, bowing before the queen.

"Please Sir Henry, there is no need for such formalities. And please, I should ask you for forgiveness as I neglected to tell you in advance that I wanted to speak with you." Celestine answered with a soft smile as she signaled for him to sit with her.

"Nonsense, what can I do for you?" Henry asked, taking a seat across from the high elf.

"Why?" She asked cryptically.

"Why what?" He asked back, confused.

"Why do you fight for me? Why risk your life in service to me?" The goddess asked, her smile turning to a frown.

"Because you're worth it." He answered cryptically.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"Much of my life I've spent in the service under the incompetence and gross mismanagement from kings and Imperial bureaucrats alike. I've seen the devastating effects of such incompetence and lack of care in the worse ways possible. To see you doing all you can to ensure the security and prosperity of your people… it's surreal. It's truly an honor to serve _you_, someone truly deserving as much." The Dragonborn explained to the perplexed face of the queen.

"As do you as well, your former liege must have been proud to have a knight such as you in his service." Celestine praised.

"You are too kind my queen, but I'm afraid my former king despises me." Henry answered with a sad smile.

"Why? You've shown me selflessness and bravery." The elf countered.

"You see only the best in me, my lady. While I've had many triumphs, I've had many more failures and deaths along the way." The Breton lowered his head, shamefully.

"You can't save everyone, you can only try your best. You are only one man after all." Celestine countered, sympathetically.

"I understand that, but it doesn't help me. I am constantly reminded of and tormented by those I've failed... I'm afraid that I'll fail you too." The knight answered.

"Don't worry, I feel safe enough with you already..."

Suddenly the situation around them became tense, and the two soon unknowingly had moved closer to one another.

Seeing every angle of her face, Henry couldn't help but be practically entranced by the queen's nymph-like beauty. Her long golden locks, her jade green eyes, and her aphrodisiac scent she gave off…

For the goddess reborn, she instinctively reached up to lower the knight's shroud. Dropping it, she was once again greeted by the handsome face of the young knight. His red eyes, though usually frightening, were dilated, indicating he was just as encapsulated as she was.

He slowly began to lean in, and she did the same. Inches away, she felt his warm breath against hers.

"My lord! The feast has been prepared and the guests have all arrived!" A maid said aloud.

"Thank you! I will be down momentarily, you are dismissed." Henry quickly said in response.

After the maid left with loud, audible clicks of her heels, the two quickly backed away from each other.

"Forgive me, my queen, I should've controlled myself." Henry apologized, quickly rising from his chair.

"No… You need not apologize Henry." Celestine answered, facing a window.

Before he could leave though, the goddess spoke once more.

"If you ever need to speak with someone, I'm here." She said with a smile as she turned to him.

He nodded quietly to the elf, raised his hood and quickly exited the guest room.

/

Elsewhere

Standing in the outer courtyard of the Black Fortress, Jagar Tharn stood with an open spellbook in one hand and his staff in another.

Speaking in a series of incantations, the chalk outline soon began to glow with a chilling hum. Moments later, a massive black portal appeared above the chalk outline, and a group of thirty armored warriors emerged soon after.

The warriors were well armed and equipped in chainmail combined with lamellar cuirasses and kettle hats, chainmail aventails covered their faces. Heater shields were strapped to the back, with either an arming sword or a flanged mace held at the hip.

Leading them was a shorter man heavily armored in a set of beautiful bronze scale mail. On his head, he wore a matching bronze helmet with a complimenting mask which only allowed his icy blue eyes to be seen.

Approaching the lich, the man drew his own arming sword. He then knelt before the undead mage, placing the sword on his knee. Immediately, his companions followed suit and knelt before the sorcerer.

"My lord." The man spoke.

"Commander… The time has come." Tharn spoke said, putting a rotting hand on his shoulder.

Rising to their feet, the soldiers saluted the lich with a hard strike to their chests.

"My company stands with you, Lord Tharn." The commander spoke.

Grinning wickedly, Tharn turned his attention to the exterior of the castle. Thousands of undead soldiers continued to muster and arm themselves.


	8. Chapter 8

8

Mead and Intrigue

Within the great hall of the grand palace, scores of Eostia's nobility had gathered. According to rumors, Celestine had welcomed a foreign knight into her ranks. Many wondered about the man, as merely months prior he was completely unknown, and now his name was known to all. To many, he was a figure of envy for his rapid ascension to the queen's court and personal retainers, a position many coveted. For others, they hoped to gain his favor and many minor knights and men-at-arms often looked to him as inspiration.

Surrounded by the large gathering of nobility, Henry felt incredibly uncomfortable. Despite his noble background, he absolutely loathed parties. As a teenager, he would've enjoyed the aspects of fine food and drink, the attention of beautiful young ladies, and the fellowship of his fellow knights. But with age and experiences, it made one prioritize their health and wellbeing over such frivolous, self-serving pursuits.

Despite his cynicism towards such gatherings, Henry could see some advantages in the meeting with such influential and wealthy individuals.

/

"Currently, I have twelve horses trained and ready to be shipped off." A middle-aged nobleman said with a proud smile.

"How much for the lot?" Henry asked.

"For the whole lot, I'll give them to you for… five thousand, and… a favor if you will." The merchant answered with an opportunistic grin.

"What sort of favor?" The Dragon knight asked, narrowing his eyes. To which the Eostian nobleman leaned in closer before whispering something to the knight.

"I see… Very well, you have a deal. I need them shipped to my fief, with due haste." The knight accepted, with a great insistence on the latter half.

"Of course, I'll have them there within a few days." The count smiled, extending his hand to the knight. "A pleasure doing business with you, Sir Henry."

"Likewise, Count Grosch." The knight said, giving a firm handshake.

After concluding his purchase, the knight bid the count farewell before walking off. Having spent several minutes within the crowded hall, the Breton desired solitude. Spotting an open balcony, he quickly made his way outside. Passing by a wine-bearing servant, he took a goblet of wine off the young woman's tray.

Walking to the stone railing, Henry zoned out for a moment, taking in all the sights and the fresh air. Raising the goblet to his lips, he took in a sip. Taking only a small amount in, he quickly put it down on the railing. Scowling, he could smell just how much honey and marble dust were used in the overly sweet wine.

"Not to your liking?" A feminine voice said from behind him.

Turning, he was approached by the familiar form of Maia.

"No…" He answered simply.

"Funny, I thought if anything you knights were all about wine and the "finer things in life." Maia joked, speaking a posh tone in an attempt to parody the Breton's accent.

"When you spend years around common soldiers, you gain an appreciation for the simpler things… I've also had better wine before." Henry answered, swilling a finger through the goblet.

"Ha! So you're not dead after all." Maia joked, leaning up against the railing next to him.

"I _am_ dead…" Henry clarified, emotionlessly.

"Oh right…Say." Maia said back with a chuckle. "Want to live abit then?" She asked in a slightly suggestive tone.

"What did you have in mind?" He asked back, turning to face the mercenary's grin.

/

After dividing the mead into two separate vessels, the two raised their cups to one another before taking small sips from them.

"Now _this_ is a real drink!" Maia said with a heavy sigh and smile.

"Indeed, it's been aged and a strong mixture of jazbay grapes and honey is applied, giving it more potency." Henry replied simply. By simply smelling it, he could tell the quality and effort put into the mead. The honey was fresh and the unique mix with the berries gave off a light tartness.

"You don't say! This stuff puts hair on your chest!" Maia piped up over her cup, clearly enjoying the mead.

Having left the party, the two had departed to a higher level balcony within the palace for a drink. Though he wasn't exactly a regular drinker, Henry did keep a bottle of Black-Briar reserve mead for the occasion. Despite his personal animosity towards the merchant family and specifically their former matriarch, he had to admit they had the best damn mead he'd ever had.

Henry watched with some alarm as the redheaded beauty filled her cup for seconds as he continued to casually sip his.

"Say, how are you so relaxed drinking this stuff? Lemme guess, more vampire powers?" The sellsword joked as she downed her serving.

"Yes… one of the unfortunate curses of vampirism. I can never get drunk again." The knight answered casually, eying the alcohol.

"Lucky bastard… Hey, mind if I get some a yours if you aren't gonna drink it?" She asked, slightly slurring her words. Tossing her cup aside, she motioned towards the knight's still largely filled cup.

"You should slow down, that reserve isn't for the faint of heart." He calmly spoke, placing a hand on hers.

"Wha? You don't think I can handle it? I'm the Queen of Mercs!" The mercenary joked before she abruptly slumped to her side.

Having expected the mercenary to pass out, the knight quickly grabbed hold of her. Picking her up, he slipped his arms around her slim waist and shapely legs. Walking off, he carried her back inside.

"There you go! Rescuing me from that evil mead! First that orc, and now this!" The drunken mercenary smiled, having quickly awoken.

Henry only calmly listened to the mercenary and her drunken ramblings with slight interest and amusement. Thankfully, as the feast continued on down bellow, it appeared the guards and servants were completely absent from the halls.

"You know… you're not as bad as you think you are." Maia commented, causing the knight's ears to perk up.

"You don't know enough about me then..." Henry countered as he carried the mercenary through the halls.

"You're too ma-modest! You had a reason! You were hu-hungry! And he was an a-asshole for spying on us. You know if you want a snack, I won't mind… As long as you make it fu-fun! I betcha could bite any woman and she'd want it… and more!" She drunkenly flirted to the knight's amusement.

"Shhh, we're almost there." Henry spoke lowly, ignoring her shameless flirting as the two rounded the corner to Maia's guest room.

Entering her quarters, the knight casually balanced the sellsword maiden in one arm while he pulled back the covers to her bed.

"Y'know, you're really strong. Anybody ever tell you that?" Maia asked, struggling to wrap a hand around the knight's flexed bicep.

"I'm only as strong as the gods will allow." He answered as he lowered the mercenary into her bed.

"There's that modesty again! You're definitely my knight in sha-shining armor!" Maia joked, causing him to scoff lightly. "Say, Henry…"

"Yes?" He answered.

"Will you stay with me, until I fall asleep?" The mercenary queen requested.

"If it is what you wish." He answered, pulling a chair up to her bedside.

"This was fun. If only I coulda got you as piss drunk as I am! All the shit we'd get into… now that'd be something." Maia commented, sighing happily.

"I don't see the appeal in drinking until your blind drunk, it never ends well…" Henry scoffed.

"That's where tha fun is! Waking up with no memory of the last night, and you've got a few bruises on ya and a couple a debts to pay back." The sellsword drunkenly refuted.

"Yes, and in my case, it's waking up on the other side of a country. Finding out you're engaged to marry a witch. And to top it off, your good "drinking buddy" was the Daedric Prince of Debauchery himself." Henry countered, rolling his eyes.

"Ha! I knew there was some life in ya! Out of all the drunken stories I've heard, I give that a six outta five!" Maia mumbled.

Soon after entertaining Maia, the mercenary slowly dozed off into deep sleep. Henry inquisitively pulled the covers over the sleeping maiden gently.

"Sleep well, my lady." Henry whispered silently. Rising to his feet, he quietly walked out of the sellsword's quarters.

Walking through the corridors, he found the music and annoyingly loud chatter had subsided, indicating the feast had ended, relieving his ears.

Reentering his quarters, he found it occupied once more. This time by the two dark elves newly placed under his command. Olga sat on his bed with a familiar bowl of fruit in hand, meanwhile, Chloe stood close by, a hateful glare on her face.

"I see they've finally released you into my custody, I assume you were treated fairly?" Henry asked.

"Of course! If you count a cell in the dungeon as "house arrest" for five days fair, then I'm just peachy!" Olga laughed sarcastically as she munched on a handful of grapes. "At least there was something to eat around here..."

"Get some rest, we depart for my holding in the morning." Henry took a seat at the desk before unfurling a scroll from his satchel.

"Ahem…" Olga piped up, getting the knight's attention.

"What?" Henry answered, continuing to read the symbols written on the paper.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" Olga shook her wrist and held them up for the Breton.

Turning his head, he furrowed his eyebrows as he glared at the dark elf who now posed seductively for him. Annoyed, he returned his attention to the scroll and continued to read the symbols silently.

"Please? I can't sleep in _these_." The sorceress asked, putting on a sad frown and a pair of puppy dog eyes.

Rising from his seat, the black knight walked towards the raven-haired elf who now smiled suggestively as he approached. She instinctively raised her hands for the knight whose eyes now shined with a devilish combination of red and yellow.

However, instead of unlocking her restraints, Olga was shocked to see the knight surge forward as a dark shadow. Pinning her against the wall, she found his hand was instead firmly gripping her throat. Not enough to restrict her breathing, but just enough to assert his physical dominance over her.

"Oh? You're one of _those_ types? Kinky..." She spoke pervertedly as he leaned in, roughly smelling her neck like a wolf smelling its mate.

Looking up, however, his eyes instead shined with pure anger rather than the lust she was expecting.

"Don't think because I'm unlocking these, you hold any sway over me… You're an asset to me, that's all." He snarled into her pointed ear as he slowly began to tighten his grip on her throat.

"Let go of her you bast-" Chloe screeched but, before she could finish her sentence, however, the knight reached out and grabbed her by her jaw with one hand.

Olga watched in horror as he slowly suspended the blond handmaiden off the floor, all without taking his horrifying eyes off her.

"I spared your lives from Celestine, I own them now... I can just as easily take them..." Henry clarified to the terrified elves as a sinister teeth-baring grin formed on his face. They watched with wide eyes as his fangs took their place within his teeth.

After ensuring the two understood his power and authority, he unlocked their restraints. To this, they appeared practically traumatized as they neither said or did anything afterward.

After a few moments, Olga composed herself just in time to catch the vampire making his way for the door.

"Where are you going?" She asked shakily.

"Out…And if it wasn't abundantly clear, should you try to escape, I _will_ find you." He answered before calmly walking out.

After he left, Chloe quickly crawled to Olga's side.

"Are you hurt mistress?" Chloe asked.

"I'm fine, though I am interested in our friend." Olga stated, rubbing her chin.

"Interested?! He threatened to kill us!" Chloe exclaimed, confused by the sorceress' calmness.

"Indeed he did… but there is something beyond that threat. While not idle, it gives a greater observation into the beast we serve." The sorceress answered.

"And what is that?" Her handmaiden asked, squinting her eyes at the dark sorceress.

"Behind every loyal hound is a leash, something beyond a master keeping the beast from turning on them." The dark elven queen responded, grinning devilishly.

"And I'm going to find out what."

/

Next Morning

Waking up the next morning, Olga found the knight waiting for her. He once more sat at the desk, this time he was busy writing inside a leatherbound book. At her side sat Chloe in a chair having seemingly awoken earlier.

"I see you've both had a restful sleep, make ready, we're leaving." He spoke as he continued to write.

"Well good morning to you too, anything to eat? Those fruits didn't exactly hit the spot." Olga asked sarcastically.

"Later, right now we're due east." Henry answered unsympathetically as he packed the book into a small pouch on his belt.

After gathering they're few belongings, the trio quickly left the castle. As they did so they were set upon by numerous staring eyes from guards and castle staff alike. Despite their whisperings, the knight's ears perked up at all the chatter behind his back.

"Who's that?"

"Sir Henry, the Black Knight."

"They say he eats the hearts of children…"

"I heard he practices necromancy…"

"Is that Olga Discordia?"

"Are those two his mistresses?"

Hearing this, the knight scowled, though he did not show this. Despite his lack of visible emotions, Olga seemed to know this as she smirked and walked closely beside the knight. Meanwhile, Chloe didn't hesitate to show her disgust around the gossipers and glared angrily at them.

/

After escaping the swarms of gawkers and gossipers, the elven women were quickly ushered to a carriage guarded by two soldiers. Entering they watched the knight feeding his horse nearby. From what they could hear, he spoke in a foreign language to the dark beast as he fed it a carrot.

"Courir à la Maison." He spoke simply and the black stead immediately took off in a full gallop.

After Shadowmere took off, he approached the two guards sitting in the driver's seat.

"You are my drivers?" He asked calmly.

"Yes, my lord." The driver answered with a smile.

"Her Holiness has also seen fit to have us transferred from the city watch to your command. It's an honor, sir." The second guard replied, also smiling.

"I see, what are your names then?" Henry asked.

"Simcoe and Lewis, sir." The driver answered gesturing to the second soldier before pointing to himself.

"So you say… Carry on then." Henry ordered.

"My lord!" A young voice called out, focusing the knight's attention.

Riding towards them on a light tan horse was a young man in his early teens, clad in the bright clothing of a nobleman, he bore curly blond hair, blue eyes, and an excited smile.

"So, you are to be my squire?" The Dragon Knight glared at the teenager who only smiled nervously.

"Ye-yes, my lord!" The young man answered, stuttering slightly.

"What's your name boy?" Henry asked.

"Grosch, Arthur Grosch, my lord!" The squire introduced himself excitedly, almost annoying the Breton with his jittery personality.

"Is there a problem Arthur?" The knight asked, crossing his arms.

"I-No, my lord… It's just-its an honor to serve as your squire! I have heard of all of your exploits in the north! The way you slew that-" Arthur answered, blushing slightly.

"Enough… Your first order is to ride at the back of the column and guard the rear, we'll discuss your duties when we reach the castle." Henry said, cutting off the young squire.

"Right… Ha, of course, my lord. Sorry…" Arthur calmed down slightly before pulling his horse behind the carriage.

With that taken care of, Henry then stepped into the covered carriage before taking a seat across from the two dark elves. Soon the horse bucked and the carriage was in motion at a steady pace.

After closing the blinds, the group was out of sight from onlookers and somewhat relaxed. Despite this, the Dragonborn kept a watchful eye on the two scantily-clad elves who only eyed him curiously. Particularly on Olga who only gave him a blatantly suggestive smirk.

"Ha, one so willing and enthusiastic to serve and die! How adorable." Olga commented.

"I can only hope his enthusiasm will be relegated to the training yards, and not the battlefield…" The vampire exclaimed, furrowing his eyebrows.

"I heard what you spoke to your horse, I've never heard a foreign language like that. I _like_ that." The dark queen complimented.

"It's old Bretic, it's not spoken much anymore." The black knight answered simply, ignoring her blatant flirting.

"Interesting, so what's our first move then, _dear_ lord?" The dark sorceress asked, emphasizing the word dear.

"We shall return to the castle and work to strengthen my position for the upcoming offensive. We'll discuss your assignments when we arrive later. For now, get some rest, we'll arrive likely tomorrow morning should we remain free of any delays." He answered, calmly.

"I don't suppose we'll be stopping for some breakfast then…" Olga suggested, leaning back.

/

Elsewhere

Within a wooden cabin, a red-robed Imperial man was hard at work.

With a wet rag in hand, he wiped down several glass display cases, each containing a carefully cleaned item. Turning his attention to one of the smaller cases, he smiled at the sight of the weapon encased.

It was a dagger, elaborately designed. The blade itself was based on the leaf design seen in spears, the crossguard was jagged on both ends and pointed upward, at the bottom was a black threaded handle and finely designed pommel complete with an inlaid black ruby.

"Excuse me, but is this the Mythic Dawn Museum?" A feminine voice asked.

Turning, the Nibenean was greeted by an unexpected, though not unwelcome sight. Standing at the doorway, was the form of a fair-skinned nordic woman. Despite her heavy winter clothing, her opulent physique could easily be seen. A pair of jade, green eyes stared at the Imperial with subtle interest, eying him up and down. Sensing his attraction, her smooth lips curved into a smile.

"Yes! Yes, this is the Mythic Dawn Museum indeed! I am Silus Vesuius, welcome in!" The robed Imperial greeted, his smile widening.

"A pleasure to make your acquaintance, I was interested in a tour of the artifacts if you didn't mind." The Nord asked politely.

"But of course, where shall we start? Ah, the beginning!" Silas answered before turning towards the cases containing old grey books. "If we turn our gazes to this case here, we'll find it contains the four commentaries on the Mysterium Xarxes. Written by the founder and former leader, Mankar Camoran. In them, he promised his followers eternity that after they died and they would be reborn at Mehrunes Dagon's side."

"Fascinating, and of this?" The visitor asked, motioning towards the weathered sheet of paper on display.

"That there is what remains of the Mysterium Xarxes itself, supposedly written by Mehrunes Dagon himself. From what can be deciphered, it claims that upon his next coming, those faithful to the Daedric Prince would be rewarded with paradise in another life." Silus answered happily.

"Intriguing, and what can you tell me about this dagger here?" She asked, turning towards the displayed dagger.

"Ah! That is Mehrunes' Razor. A powerful blade forged by the Daedric Prince of Destruction himself and gifted to the grandmaster of the Mythic Dawn. For the past two hundred years, it was broken and lost to time, until recently thankfully." He answered.

"Do you think I could see it?" The woman asked. At this, Silas was certainly taken aback with the request.

"I'm afraid not. It has been only recently been discovered and reassembled, though the fellow who fixed it did a great job… I don't want to risk damaging it." He explained after managing to regain his composure

"Awww, would you be willing to make an exception for a great admirer? I've traveled long and far to stand in this great museum." The Nordic woman asked, a frown appearing on her alluring face.

"I… suppose so, though I must urge caution." Silas said, caving in. Reaching to his belt pouch, he fetched a bronze key. Unlocking the display case, he carefully reached in before pulling the dark dagger out.

"Oh, but of course." She said smiling returning to her lips.

Handing it to the lovely stranger, she eyed with great interest. Her smile widened as she turned the dagger to inspect it. Looking up, her vibrant green eyes met his faint grey eyes, sensing him bending to her will, she smiled suggestively. Reaching up, she placed a soft grip on the Nibenean's shoulder. Noting this, he felt his heart practically melt as she opened her mouth to speak once more.

"Thank you… for your service." She spoke seductively as her gentle fingers began to slowly glide down from his shoulder.

"My service?" He asked, slightly confused.

"For finding the dagger for us." She answered, suddenly tightening her grip on his arm.

Then, without warning, the woman plunged the dagger deep within the man's stomach. Despite the pain though, Silas was unable to speak, his brain too in shock to register the threat, and his whole body and mind felt numb.

"Unfortunately… that's where your usefulness ends." She spoke coldly. Drawing back the dagger, she quickly shanked the Imperial another four times. Though he was likely dead after the second stab, she took no chances and continued with another six stabs.

Feeling his heartbeat stop its rampant pumping, she casually released her grip on him and his body crumpled to the floor with a loud thud. Blood poured out of the many open wounds, leaving a massive pool of blood surrounding his corpse.

Looking to the blood-soaked dagger, the cloaked woman wiped off the blade on the clothing worn by the now-dead Silas before clipping the scabbard to her belt and sheathing the dark blade.

"Rest now brother, you have completed your task. The master will be pleased."


	9. Chapter 9

9

The Storm

Castle Blackthorne

Rounding the familiar fork, the convoy reached their destination at the fortified hilltop community. Pulling back the curtains, Henry noticed that as expected, the population had surged to where the walls could no longer contain the new town. Along the hillside, several small homes were established.

At the base of the hill, construction had begun on a series of palisade walls surrounding the castle. Though only the gatehouse was fully built, the knight noticed that a wide moat had been dug around the perimeter of the hill as instructed. Furthermore, the drawbridge he'd ordered was also in the works.

Within the treeline, a group of twelve workers was busy at work felling trees for use on the wall's construction. Meanwhile, another group of ten were busy building the fortifications. Atop the outer gatehouse, a crossbow-wielding watchman carefully monitored the two groups, while his fellow watchman eyed the approaching column with extreme caution.

"Hold there!" One of the gate guards called out from his position outside the gatehouse.

Immediately, one of the watchmen stood up from the table he and another guard had been sitting at.

"Morning boys, got business in Blackthorne?" The watchman asked, casually leaning on his spear.

"We come bearing Sir Henry and his courtiers." Simcoe answered calmly.

"Right then, open the gates!" The watchman called out.

Soon after, the wooden gates were quickly opened by two other watchmen and the carriage was allowed through.

Entering the confines of the walls, the carriage came to a stop. Stepping out, Henry was greeted by the welcome sight of his castle.

Around him, the various townspeople went about their daily lives and tasks. Seeing him, many stopped to greet the knight warmly before returning to their duties. For the Breton, to say it was a welcome relief would be an understatement after nearly a week spent under the eyes and ears of Ken and her citizens.

Looking about, he noticed the merchant and craftsmen had established their own shops within tents along the walls. Among the craftsmen included a shoe cobbler, a miller, and a baker.

"You two, help Lady Olga and her handmaiden, then secure the carriage and come with me." Henry ordered the two soldiers driving him.

"Yes, my lord!" The two men immediately jumped down from their seats to help the two dark elves as they exited the carriage.

"What about us, dear lord?" Olga asked, stepping down from the carriage.

"Wait for me inside the keep, I'll deal with you two later." The knight answered.

"Squire! Secure your horse in the stables over there, then escort these two to the keep and then speak to Sergeant Bauer, he'd have use for you. You will report back to me at dusk." Henry then ordered, turning to his mounted squire and motioning towards the two elves.

"Aye, Lord!" Arthur then quickly rode off.

"Pardon me, madam." Henry calmly spoke to a passing townswoman.

"Yes, my lord?" The middle-aged woman asked, putting down the basket she carried.

"If you could accompany my courtiers to the keep and get them something to eat, that would be greatly appreciated." He answered asked politely.

/

With that taken care of, the knight quickly made his way to the smithy. Stepping inside, he spotted a young elven man utilizing the forge. Clad in a brown apron, the smith hammered away at a small heated ingot over the anvil.

"Please, Lady Claire, I require an additional-" The man said turning to face the visitor before stopping himself at the sight of the black knight. "My apologies, my lord. I didn't know it was you."

"No offense taken, what is your name good sir?" Henry asked.

"Gale, my lord." The elven smith answered. "Thank you, sir!"

"What for?" Henry asked, slightly confused.

"For your endorsement for me to become a licensed smith of course!" Gale responded with a bright smile. "With my license, I can learn and produce far more than I would've as an unlicensed smith!"

"Of course, good men are needed now more than ever…" The knight answered with a simple nod. "I'd put more time into this one though, there's a warp right here. Meanwhile, this one over here has some cracking, a major flaw, but treatable." He pointed out two of the finished spearheads closeby.

"Thank you, my lord, I didn't see that! I'm still somewhat of an apprentice. But, I assure you I will finish any and all orders you require!" Gale said, nervously running his fingers through his light blond hair.

"I would certainly hope so… Carry on." The Dragonborn simply slunk out of the tent.

/

Exiting the smithy, the knight was suddenly approached by the form of a familiar dark elf.

"I heard from the watch you'd returned, it's so good to see you again." Claire said welcoming him with a soft hug.

"Likewise, the past week has been… interesting to say the least." Henry replied with a firm nod.

"I'll say, it seems you've gained a following." The dark elf said jokingly referring to the two soldiers escorting him.

"Aye, one of the benefits of a sworn vassal. Come now, there is much to discuss." He answered and the four walked off towards the keep.

/

Inside the main hall, the two elves sat at one of the main tables. Shared amongst them were a small pot of lentil soup and a loaf of bread. As it had been nearly two days since their departure from Ken, the pair was famished and ate ravenously.

"I see you've been fed sufficiently…" The knight spoke from the doorway.

"Pfft… sufficiently. You're too generous my dear lord." Olga scoffed as she continued to eat.

"Chloe?" Claire spoke in surprise, stepping out from behind the Dragonborn.

"Claire?" Chloe said, rising from her seat.

The two elves soon rushed towards each other before catching each other in a warm embrace.

"Sister…" Claire said.

"I thought you were dead." Chloey said, tears welling at her eyes.

"It's a long story…" Claire replied.

/

"And then what happened?" Chloe asked her sister as the two sat at the table.

"I wandered for some time, never staying in one place for too long. Slavers everywhere." Claire explained, taking a sip of ale from her cup. "I got caught eventually, I was brought here. Then he found me."

Looking over, the two saw the Breton knight conversing with the dark sorceress by the door.

"How do you tolerate him?" The handmaiden asked, surprising her kin.

"What do you mean?" Claire asked in return, tilting her head in confusion.

"He's an animal, dear sister. He kills without remorse or pity. You can see it just in those bloodthirsty eyes of his." Chloe explained, bitterly.

"I know… and I don't care. He saved me from a life in chains. He fed me, gave me a home and accepted me when others wouldn't." Her sister countered.

"And how can we trust him? You said it yourself, you've only known him for a month." The handmaiden questioned.

"He cares about me… I saw it when he rescued me from the slavers. He gave them no mercy, he told me that no one would ever hurt me again… He never asked anything like what _they_ took from me… What they forced me to do." Claire rebutted passionately.

"I don't care what anyone says about him, I'll follow him. With or without you." Rising from her seat, the elven steward left her sister to join the knight's conversation.

/

Castle Blackthorne, Courtyard

"Keep that blade leveled!" The black knight shouted at his square after he lowered his wooden blade slightly in exhaustion.

Despite fighting in plate mail, the knight was incredibly fast and nimble with a one-handed sword. His stance and guard position showed clearly his favor towards an aggressive strategy that emphasized on quickly capitalizing on an opponent's surprise and slower speed.

"Watch where you place your feet, or else you'll trip right over them!" He ordered due to the teenager's poor foot placement and coordination.

Taking advantage of this, the knight intentionally swung higher in a feint. Arthur, expecting a head strike, ducked. Bringing his head back up, he was met with a hard elbow to the face. Losing his focus, he let his guard drop as he stumbled back.

Taking the opportunity, the knight swept the young man's feet out from under him causing him to fall flat onto his back.

"Dead Again." His mentor spoke calmly, pointing the tip of his practice sword to his trainee's throat.

"It appears you have some work to do my lord." Sergeant Bauer commented from the sidelines.

Tossing the wooden sword to the sergeant, the knight pulled the squire to his feet.

"You're finished for the day, get back to the keep and get yourself something to eat. We'll talk later." Henry ordered his squire who handed his practice weapon to the sergeant.

"Aye, Lord!" Arthur nodded before taking off.

Sighing, the knight turned his attention back to his subordinate.

"What's the status on the retinue?" Henry asked calmly.

"About as can be expected I'm afraid, I've trained them to the best I know. We could all use some more training my lord." Bauer answered putting away the practice weapons on a nearby weapon rack.

"And you shall have it. I should be here for the next few weeks, so I'll have more time for training and overseeing the settlement." The knight spoke to the relief of his subordinate.

"That's good to hear. Is it true, my lord? Are we going on the offensive like those two regulars you brought said?" The sergeant asked.

"Aye, and our queen wants us on the frontlines."

/

"Come on boys! Get those logs movin!" A man ordered his group of laborers as they continued to roll wooden logs into place.

Meanwhile, another group of laborers was busy erecting earthworks directly behind the completed walls. Combined, the timber and dirt walls would provide a formidable defense should the castle be attacked.

Watching over the construction was the black knight who stood stoically at the top of the hill. Looking over the progress, the vampire was pleased to see the walls were near completion.

"Not bad progress for two weeks, my lord." Olga complimented as she stood next to the knight. "If I may though, I doubt these palisades will keep the hordes out for long though.

"Indeed, they're more or less a delay. I can only hope they will slow the enemy long enough for-"

"My lord?" A male's voice asked nervously.

Turning his head, the knight found it was the elven smith, Gale mustering the courage to speak with him.

"Yes, Gale?" He answered calmly.

"I've completed that spear order you requested and turned them over to Sergeant Bauer." Gale informed.

"Very good, I'll have your payment arranged shortly." The vampire nodded firmly. "You wouldn't happen to have any experience working with armor, would you?"

"Aside from gambeson and cloth armor, no my lord." The young elf shook his head.

"A pity." Henry grimaced. "I'll require another order from you then. Would it be possible for you to forge an order of about one hundred crossbow bolts?"

"One hundred! Certainly! It would require a period of roughly two weeks though…" Gale answered surprised by the order.

"So long as your metalwork is strong and without flaws, you have a deal."

"Open the gates!" One of Henry's men called out from amidst a small mounted patrol riding towards the castle.

With the gates opened for the party, they quickly rode up to address the dark baron.

"My lord! We spotted a large Warband advancing south just thirty miles west!" The lead scout informed the knight.

Casting a summoning spell, Henry was greeted by Shadowmere. Petting the large beast, he quickly mounted his steed.

"Come with us, my lady. We'll need your help." He offered his hand to the dark elf who graciously excepted his hand and help.

"Gladly, my lord." She spoke with a smirk as the knight pulled her up to his horse.

"Platoon, rally on me!" The Dragonborn called aloud to the surprise of all around him.

Within minutes, the remainder of his cavalry retinue were already in their armor and had grabbed their mounts before gathering before their lord.

"All retinuemen accounted for, my lord!" Sergeant Bauer announced, pulling his horse forward to address the cavalry commander.

"Follow me! We make for the west immediately!" Henry spoke aloud.

/

Dropping its club, the orc wielding it fell to its knees. A long spear had pierced its chest, killing it almost instantly.

All around it, the orc's Warband was dismantled and cut down. Lightly armored riders atop horses advanced from all sides, dropping greenskins and undead alike.

Looking up, the last thing the creature saw was the mounted black knight standing over it. From his ebony black helmet, a pair of red eyes beamed down on his newest kill.

Drawing his spear from the corpse, Henry looked to see his guards making quick work of the Warband. Having provided horses and further training provided an invaluable edge over their foes. Despite his contingent's small numbers and light equipment, the relentless training he instilled over the course of two weeks showed. His raiders glided across the enemy ranks like a hot knife through butter, kicking up dust and only furthering the confusion amongst the enemy ranks.

Within moments, his cavalry had enveloped and devastated the main body of allied invaders. Many attempted to flee, while those that held their ground were crushed under the hooves of the cavalrymen.

Those that managed to flee into the woods weren't safe for long, as they soon found themselves rushing blindly into yet another ambush. This time, by the devastating spells of Olga Discordia. In the blink of an eye, the shattered Warband was reduced to cinders and charred corpses.

Once the smoke and fog cleared, the small contingent regrouped.

"Not a bad start. Eh, lord?" Sergeant Bauer joked, pulling his horse to the knight's mount.

"A small skirmish within a war, Sergeant. Let's move on, one band down, many more to go." The commander spat back as he helped Olga onto the back of his horse.

Soon the cavalry section took off in the direction of a large column of smoke.

/

Fortress City of Feoh

Atop a battlement, an Eostian soldier yawned in boredom as he and another soldier played a game of chess.

"How many games is this?" He asked his friend as he moved his king.

"Six, and no, I'm not playing another." His friend answered, moving a knight to counter and capture the king. "Checkmate."

"Oh come on, that's four for six." The soldier exclaimed, standing from his seat he peered over the crenel. "Got any other games?"

"Nope." His fellow soldier shook his head. "Damn, and from what I heard I thought we'd be kneedeep in blood and guts."

/

"What's the status on our defenses, Captain." Alicia Arcturus requested sternly.

"We currently have one hundred and fifty barrels of oil in storage, another fifty should be done within the next week. Each tower has two full baskets of throwing stones, around sixty arrows, and a pot for boiling water and sand." Her scantily-clad subordinate answered, looking over an unfurled scroll.

"Get me another two hundred barrels, we'll need as many incendiaries as possible if we're up against walking corpses." Alicia ordered. "What about the state of the walls?"

"We've just finished with repairs this afternoon and begun installation of catapults atop the battlements." The Captain said proudly.

"Incoming!" One of the guards atop the wall shouted aloud.

Immediately after, the top of one of the battlements was struck by a large stone, chunks of stonework flew off into nearby houses. Screams of agony followed closely after as the guards atop were knocked to the ground.

Soon after, a dispersed salvo of artillery struck the defenses of Feoh, killing or wounding many of the defenders. Panic then befell the citizens of the city as those on the streets scrambled for cover wherever they could find it.

"Belay that Captain! Gather the garrison, raise the levy and man the defenses!" The Knight of Iris ordered.

"Aye, my lady!" The Captain saluted her superior.

/

Outside Feoh, Besieger's Camp

From within his tent, the commander, a human man covered in fine plate armor hovered over the map placed on his table. Looking over his position, he noted the gathered intelligence indicated the majority of the army was still mustering further east.

"Legatus!" A voice called.

Looking up from the map, the commander was greeted by another human soldier, this time equipped in chainmail and scale armor. The man quickly snapped to attention before rendering a chest-beating salute to his superior.

"Report, Lieutenant." The "Legate" requested calmly.

"We have the city under siege as ordered, commander. We have the roads locked down, no travel in or out of Feoh. Our artillery battery continues to rain fire upon the enemy force without impediment." The officer answered his superior.

"Good, continue the barrage." The commander ordered. "Have you prepared your cohort for the assault, Lieutenant?"

"Yes, Commander! The first cohort stands ready for deployment." The Lieutenant answered proudly.

"Very good, gather your men, you move at nightfall."

/

Later at Midnight

Atop the walls, a town militiaman walked his post nervously. Despite the artillery barrage ceasing hours earlier, he couldn't get the noise out of his head. The screaming from wounded men he pulled down from the walls, some with mangled or even missing limbs. But it was seeing a small child crushed under the debris of her home was what truly got to him the most.

Feeling a hand on his shoulder, the man spun around and pointed his spear directly at the abdomen of his company.

"Woah, Woah! Relax, City Watch." The Guardsman pointed to the city crest emblazoned on his leather breastplate.

"Sorry… just really jumpy… Those bastards hit us hard." The young militiaman apologized, lowering his spear.

"You're not wrong about that…" The Guardsman agreed, nodding his head as the two continued their patrol.

Circling around to their assigned gatehouse, the levy tossed his spear aside he went to a nearby room. Inside sat a lightly armored soldier who sat at a table facing away from the door.

"Sergeant? I completed my patrol, nothing to report." He reported to the Watch Sergeant.

The man sat unmovingly, with no reaction to the militiaman's presence.

"Sergeant?" He asked, placing a hand on the man's shoulder.

Instantly, the man slumped over and immediately crumpled to the floor, dead. Blood seeped out of his slit throat and onto the man's hands.

"What the hell?!" The levy recoiled in horror, bumping into a body behind him.

Turning around, he was confronted by the guardsman from earlier, sword drawn.

"Sorry…" He apologized before running his blade through the lightly armored torso of the militiaman.

Grasping onto the man, he faintly draped his arms around his killer's body. The young man opened his mouth in an attempt to speak, but no words were able to come out. All he could do was awkwardly hug his attacker.

Feeling his body go limp, the infiltrator retracted his sword and let go of his victim who quickly fell flat to the floor. Sheathing his blade, he made his way to the winch system.

Pulling the lever back with all of his strength, the portcullis was soon raised. One of the gates to the city lie open...

Looking out a nearby window, he watched as his unit quickly made their way into the city under the cover of darkness...

/

Inside her quarters, Alicia Arcturus stood at her balcony. She watched almost emotionlessly as her city burned. Screams and the clashing of steel rang out all around as the defenders scrambled to respond. Buildings caught fire, others were destroyed by renewed artillery fire. Seemingly thousands of undead and monsters swarmed into the city. She could hear the cries of women as the peasantry were taken and dragged off by the beasts, meanwhile the undead killed without remorse or any emotion.

What stood out the most, however, was the discipline displayed by one unit amongst the horde. They appeared as humanoids, clad in heavy armor, their faces obscured by chainmail. She watched in amazement as they formed into a tightly packed shield wall and steadily advanced through the streets, ignoring the hundreds of arrows, stones, and other projectiles flying at them. Unlike the monsters or undead, they killed only those who stood in their way, but when they did, they didn't hesitate to do so.

By comparison, Feoh's defenders were a crudely organized force, primarily consisting of the poorly trained and equipped levy, supplemented by the shattered remains of her household troops and city guards. This showed as they struggled to hold back the tide of death from reaching the castle.

Soon the door burst open, revealing the form of her steward and aid, Prime Minister Beasley.

"My Lady." He greeted with a bow.

"Prime Minister." She acknowledged while still watching the losing battle bellow. "Do we have the survivors accounted for?"

"So far, no, my lady. We continue to have refugees and soldiers alike flood into the halls, many, including Captain Jess and the nuns, remain unaccounted for." Beasley answered with a shake of his head.

"What about Prim, is she safe?" She asked, to which her steward nodded.

"Yes, my Lady. Lady Prim is safe and accounted for." Beasley answered quickly.

Stepping away from the balcony, she turned her attention to her desk. On it was an urgent note addressed to the Goddess reborn.

**My Queen,**

**As I am writing this, Feoh has fallen to the enemy. We have enough provisions in the castle for approximately forty days, though I highly doubt we will last that long. The castle walls continue to crumble under constant artillery bombardment and our numbers continue to dwindle.**

**I beg for the sake of the people of Feoh for an immediate relief attempt. **

**Lady Alicia of House Arcturus**

Folding up the note, the Knight of Iris calmly took the note before turning to a large birdcage. Opening the door, she reached in before extending her palm out to the pigeon inside. The bird soon stepped onto her outstretched hand before she slowly pulled the messenger out of the cage.

She carefully strapped the note to the bird's leg before soon letting the bird fly out of the window.

"Come now, Prime Minister, we have a castle to defend."


	10. Chapter 10

10

Surprises

Bypassing layers of flesh, muscle, and bone, the Nightingale Blade reached its target's heart. The now-torn heart stopped beating. Its owner, an orc, dropped to his knees.

Ripping the dark blade from the chest cavity of his victim, the Black Knight turned to see an undead soldier charging his position. Swinging his rusted sword at the Breton, the strike was quickly parried before the knight's own blade met its decaying neck.

Decapitating the Draugr-like beast, it attempted to strike the knight once more, though, after a few steps, the body collapsed onto the ground.

Looking about, the knight wasted no time aiding his suffering retinue. Rushing up behind a pair of Draugr, he stabbed one of the undead soldiers in the back, allowing the sergeant battling them to finish off the other with a skull-splitting chop.

After several more minutes of fighting, the fog finally cleared. With that, the retinue regrouped and tallied the dead and wounded.

Then, going door-to-door, the cavalrymen checked homes for any and all survivors. Though unfortunately, it revealed relatively few.

To the dismay of the knight's soldiers, it appeared most, if not all of the surviving women had been herded into the chapel and gang-raped.

All appeared bloodied and bruised from their abuse. Some so severely that they stared blankly at their rescuers without any reaction. Those that showed emotion, showed fear at the sight of the horsemen. At the sight of the black knight though, many stood and hobbled into the arms of their rescuers.

After gathering the surviving villagers, the retinue proceeded to render what aid they could provide.

Within a commandeered house, the cavalry commander sat at the desk, writing within his leather-bound journal, his ebony helmet removed and placed nearby the inkwell.

Looking up, he found his right-hand, Sergeant Bauer approaching him.

"My lord." Sergeant Bauer greeted.

"Report, Sergeant." The Knight ordered, returning to his writing.

"Three men dead, one wounded. As for the civilians, we count forty-three survivors, with about fifteen wounded." Bauer answered solemnly. "What are your orders, my lord?"

"Break camp, we move south from here. We'll leave the villagers at the closest fort before looping back northeast." Henry answered, closing his journal.

Before he could rise, however, another man, a stranger entered the house frantically. Looking at him for a brief moment, the two men both knew he wasn't one of the villagers, let alone one of their own.

"My lord!" The young man greeted with a courteous nod before attempting to approach the knight.

Suspicious, Sergeant Bauer turned to immediately challenge the approaching man. Placing his hand on the hilt of his sword, the man stopped his pace.

"What is it, citizen?" Henry questioned, calmly.

"I bring a message from her holiness, requesting your immediate attention on the matter." The messenger answered, slowly retrieving a scroll from his satchel.

Handing it to the baron's second, he looked over the sealed scroll before turning to his lord.

"He speaks the truth, my lord. This message bears the queen's seal." Bauer spoke before turning to offer the scroll to the knight.

Breaking the seal, the dark lord unfurled the scroll.

Sir Henry,

I write to you now to inform you that the fortress city of Feoh has been captured by Tharn's horde. Furthermore, Lady Alicia and her court remain besieged within the castle. As your queen, I command you to raise your banner and ride west to aid in the lifting of the siege immediately.

Signed Queen Celestine Lucross

"When did the horde capture Feoh?" Henry questioned, furrowing his eyebrows.

"Approximately four days ago, my lord. The news reached the capital within hours of the city's fall." The messenger answered quickly.

"Lady Alicia and her family could be dead or worse, and you take four days to find and inform me of this?" The knight asked calmly, an undeniably menacing tone in his accented voice.

"I'm sorry, my lord, but-but you are a rather difficult man to find…" The young man answered nervously.

"So I am apparently…" The Breton grimaced. "Sergeant, how far is Feoh from here?"

"About a day's march if we include the issue of the displaced civilians." Bauer answered.

"Take charge of the retinue, you are to escort the refugees to the closest fort and ride northwest towards Feoh." Henry ordered.

"Aye lord." The sergeant nodded before quickly running outside to fulfill his task.

"You… may leave." The knight spoke, turning his attention back to the courier.

Loudly gulping, the messenger quickly made his way for the door.

Gathering his belongings, the knight retrieved his spare waterskin from his belt. Pulling out the cork plug, he immediately felt his eyes snap awake as his nose was bombarded by the harsh smell of iron.

Taking a few small sips, he felt his entire body change almost immediately. He felt… stronger. His armor… lighter. The pain… numbed. His senses became sharper and more acute. He could hear the hushed conversations outside amongst his men and the villagers as if they spoke right into his ears.

The blood did its trick. One of the few, albeit major "benefits" for his state of undeath.

After a small drink, he sealed the waterskin before reattaching it to his belt. He then grabbed his helmet before heading outside.

Within the village center, the surviving villagers wordlessly loaded their wounded into a cart as Olga provided healing atop the wagon. His cavalrymen stood in a semi-circle around the civilians, keeping a close eye open for ambushes.

"My lord, the wagon's filled to capacity. We'll depart immediately and catch up as quickly as we can." Sergeant Bauer informed.

"Good. Don't fail me." Henry nodded, patting the man on the shoulder before taking to his own horse. "Come Lady Olga."

/

Riding through the wooded countryside, the pair sat quietly atop the back of Shadowmere. Olga, despite her vested interest in the Breton knight, she was uncertain of his intentions and abilities and thus made little attempt to speak with him. Suddenly, the knight opened his mouth to speak.

"How did Tharn capture you in the first place?" Henry asked, startling the dark elf.

"He first arrived several weeks ago, at first I played nice. He offered me gifts in the form of soul gems and spell books of your world and in exchange, I gave him sanctuary." She explained. "He told me tall tales of himself as a great and powerful sorcerer and practically begged for my aid. I felt no threat from him, so I granted him refuge within my castle. Then he overtook me, usurped my throne and my face. The rest you know."

"I see…" The Dragonborn spoke, continuing to focus on the road ahead of them.

"I have a question for you… about Tharn." Olga requested.

"Ask then." Henry replied.

"What did Tharn mean when he said, "Had he only accepted you?" Olga asked curiously.

Hearing this, the black knight hesitated for a few moments before quickly answering.

"It's nothing…"

"It doesn't sound like nothing~" Olga smirked, noticing his reaction.

To this, he muttered something incoherent in response. Taking advantage of this, the dark sorceress pressed her luck.

"What was that? You'll have to speak up if you want to be heard…" She teased.

Feeling his vision starting to blur, the knight blinked in hopes of regaining his vision. He soon, however, found the world around him began to warp and change. He attempted to tightly shut his eyes once more.

/

Reopening them, he found he was looking up at a hardwood ceiling. He soon found that he was no longer on his horse, instead, he found he now lay on top of a wooden table. Attempting to move he found his limbs were shackled together. Looking down, he found he was stripped of his ebony mail and instead wore a simple tunic and trousers.

Suddenly, he felt a hand roughly grab him by his hair before forcing his head into a bucket of water.

Struggling against the hand, he couldn't help but breathe in seemingly gallons of water.

Soon, however, the hand yanked his head out of the water, allowing the knight to attempt to breathe and cough out water.

"You'll have to speak up if you want to be heard, boy." A voice with a familiar accent taunted.

Looking up, the knight was greeted with by the sneer of a grey-haired Nordic man clad in a black bear pelt.

"I'll ask again… Where is your camp?" The man demanded.

The knight tried in vain to break free from his chains to the strange ignorance of the torturer.

"No answer?... That's alright… We have time." The Nord spoke.

Held by the strong Nord, the knight's face was forced back into the water, this time for longer. He once again struggled against the water, thrashing and attempting to raise his head out of the water.

After several seconds, his head was pulled out. This time, however, he was capable of seeing his own reflection within the bucket of murky water.

Staring back at him was the face of a young Breton male appearing in his late teens. Everything about his face seemed foreign. His eyes… they were no longer the blood-red he'd grown accustomed to, but rather a forgotten shade of dark blue. His complexion appeared far more youthful and life-like, albeit covered in bruises and cuts.

"Where is your camp?" The old Nord asked again.

The knight could only watch silently as the man reached behind him before drawing a hunting knife on him. The man brought it close to the Breton's face for the young man to see.

"See this? This is what I used to make my cloak, I took the pelt of a bear for this..." The interrogator taunted, pointing to the pelt attached to his leather armor.

"...Perhaps I'll take your "pelt" and send it to Tullius as a gift." He continued as he lowered the knife to the Breton's chest.

Gliding across his chest, the teenager couldn't contain his screaming as the blade slowly sliced through his flesh.

/

Shaking his head, he snapped awake.

Looking around, he found he was once more on top of his horse. He felt the weight of Olga's ample breasts pressing against his back as she held onto him tightly.

"Back amongst the living?" She asked teasingly.

He ignored her joke and only continued to ride, a grim look on his face.

"What's wrong?" She asked, a hint of concern in her voice as she dropped her comedic act.

"Nothing." He answered simply.

"Bullshit. You were practically braindead for a few minutes there." Olga pointed out. "I could feel your heartbeat elevate. I know I'm me, but that's not it… You were seeing something. Weren't you?"

"... Yes, a painful memory.." The vampire conceded slightly.

"Of, what?" The dark elf asked, poking her head over his shoulder.

"My own torture." He answered flatly.

Hearing this, the dark queen leaned back and decided to give the black knight his space. Soon, the two found the path led to an old wooden suspension bridge over a large waterfall.

"The bridge likely won't support the weight, so we'll have to go on foot from here." Henry said, slipping off the back of Shadowmere.

"Did your mother not teach you to respect a woman and her weight?" Olga joked in an attempt to lighten the mood.

"No…" The knight answered, unamused.

After helping the dark elf get off the dark beast, the knight turned his attention to the horse.

"Survivre." He ordered the large horse who simply turned before casually walking off in a random direction. "Come, we need to cross that bridge."

The pair then proceeded slowly across the rickety bridge. The bridge was old and much of the wood showed weathering and rotting, prompting the two to walk only a few steps at a time. Suddenly, one of the rope supports began to unravel with a loud tearing of the rope.

"Olga, let's slowly work our way back." Henry ordered.

The two didn't make it far, however, as the failing rope support gave way and snapped. The bridge then instantly shifted over to one side, with the two clinging onto the wooden floorboards for dear life.

Suddenly, the secondary support system was severed, sending the bridge careening into the cliff wall.

Upon immediate impact, Olga lost her grip and soon plummeted to the water below. Seeing this, Henry let go of the bridge before jumping into the water.

Hitting the surface of the water, the knight quickly located the dark elf queen as she flailed and thrashed about the water. Picking her up, he calmly walked out of the water and onto the closest dry land.

/

The two sat at the edge of the pool, Olga did her best to dry herself off. Meanwhile, Henry walked about the base of the waterfall, seeing that there was a small tunnel entrance hidden behind the falls.

"Come on, let's see where this takes us." The vampire ordered and the elf soon stood reluctantly.

/

Proceeding through the tunnels, the heavily armored knight took the lead. Sword in one hand, and a lit torch in the other. Following closely behind him was the dark sorceress who tightly held onto her staff with one hand, and kept a firm grip on one of the knight's pauldrons.

After several minutes of walking, the path led the duo to a wooden door, beyond which stunk of decaying food and fecal matter.

Continuing past the door, the two found themselves within a large sewer system.

"Well… I'm glad to not have eaten a heavy meal today." Olga commented, pinching her nose.

"It seems we've stumbled upon the city's sewerage. Come, we should try and regroup with Sergeant Bauer. Perhaps we can use this to our advantage..."

/

Arcturus Family Estate, One Day Later

Climbing to the top of a guard tower, the two castle guards rushed to the sounds of battle below. Tightly packed into two rows, the group of roughly twenty men advanced under the cover of a phalanx. The first row held their shields firmly in front of them, blocking all attacks from reaching the group. Meanwhile, the second row utilized their spears to thrust downwards and rain death to all attackers.

When they came into closer view, they finally saw him. Leading from the front was the knight, clad in shining black armor, he continued to bark out orders while hewing down enemies left and right.

Following closely behind the formation was the form of the infamous sorceress of the north. As they advanced, she provided covering fire in the form of fireballs and lightning bolts.

It wasn't long before they managed to force their way to the castle gates.

"Raise the gates in the name of her holiness!" The knight ordered.

The gates were soon opened and the lord's retinue was soon greeted by the baffled looks of the castle guards as they passed into the castle.

/

Pushing through the front door, the group was greeted by a handful of Alicia's household guards. Immediately, the oldest man stepped forward to address the knight.

"Greetings, Sir Henry is it?" The man asked.

"That's correct, are you the captain of the guards?" Henry answered before asking in turn.

"No, my lord. That honor goes to Captain Jess, however, I haven't seen her since the city fell." The man answered with a shake of his head. "I am her second, Lieutenant Quinn. I have taken over her duties temporarily."

"I see, I would like to speak with Lady Alicia then." The knight requested.

"Gladly, my lord. I'd ask for you to keep your men in the bailey, however. We've been repulsing raids nearly every day, we could seriously use the manpower." Lieutenant Quinn nodded.

/

The knight and the sorceress were then quickly escorted into a lavish sitting room, accompanied by Lieutenant Quinn and five castle guards.

"Please, have a seat, my lord. Lady Alicia will be here soon." The Lieutenant insisted, pulling out a chair for the knight.

Instead of sitting, however, the knight instead removed his helmet and placed it on one of the tables. He then grabbed a nearby bottle of wine before taking pouring a small amount within a nearby silver goblet.

"You've done a remarkably fine job holding this castle, Lieutenant." Henry complimented, taking a sip.

"Thank you, my lord. It's been a rough few days." Quinn answered with a smile as he accepted the compliment.

"I'll say, five days under siege…" The knight furthered before winking to his courtier. "Wine, my dear?"

Olga smiled suggestively in return before slipping her hands around the Breton's shoulders, she then proceeded to pepper his neck with kisses as she took the silver cup from him.

Turning to the dark elf, the knight grinned before whispering something to her, causing her eyes to light up in anticipation.

"Where is she really, Lieutenant?" The knight then asked, startling the man already surprised by the public display of affection.

"I do not know what you mean, my lord." The man stumbled in his response.

"Oh, but you do. Afterall… You've already surrendered." The knight accused, dropping his smile as the dark elf quickly let go of him.

The treacherous officer then tried to hurriedly draw his own sword. Anticipating this, however, the knight countered. Smashing the bottle over the man's unprotected head caused his head to bleed as he was thrown to the floor.

Engaging the other traitors, Henry parried a sword swing from one guard before elbowing him in the face. Seeing another guard charging him, he grabbed the stunned guardsman before shoving him into the path of his friend's blade. Upon contact, the blade was slowed slightly by the man's armor and instead stopped half-way in the man's stomach.

Following through, the knight killed the charging guard with a slash across his throat. Flipping his blade around, he stabbed the other man through the chest. This time, however, the Nightingale Blade punched through its victim's chainmail and pierced his heart.

Drawing his sword back, the knight saw the officer charging him, sword drawn. When the two met, the duel was rather even and carried on for several moments. To his credit, the Lieutenant was skilled and fought on almost equal footing as the knight.

Almost.

Falling for a feint, the traitor raised his sword to block an overhead strike, only to be sliced across the cheek.

Tossing his head to the side in pain, his undead adversary stepped towards his unarmored legs before slashing one of his hamstrings. The man then capitulated, dropping his sword as he was forced to his knees.

Looking to Olga, Henry saw that she now reclined in one of the lavish chairs and drank wine casually in amusement. Two other guards had been frozen to death just beside her.

"How… How did you know?" The turncoat asked, gripping his wounded leg in an attempt to stem the bleeding.

"You claimed that you've been repelling raids daily, yet I see no injuries amongst your men let alone any signs they've seen battle." The dark baron answered.

"Not to mention that nearly half of the city is a smoldering ruin, meanwhile, the largest building remains nearly flawless after five days?" Olga added in, kicking her feet up onto one of the tables.

"I'll ask once and once only, who took Lady Alicia and Lady Prim?" The vampire demanded as fangs began to form within his mouth.

The man sat, panicking as the deadly fangs came closer and closer to his face. The owner looked like an opportunistic wolf about to meet his next meal.

"Beasley! It was Beasley! We were just paid off to open the gates and hold the castle! The mercenaries did the rest! They took the two, the night the city fell." He quickly cracked under the threat.

"Mercenaries?" The buxom elf perked up.

"These mercenaries, tell me about them." The knight asked calmly.

"Humans in chainmail, couldn't see their faces. Didn't talk at all." The officer quickly answered.

"Do you buy his story, my lord?" Olga asked.

"Sure. Tharn only left pitiful forces to patrol the streets, I doubt he planned on coming back any time soon." Henry answered, turning to the doors.

"What about him then?" Olga asked, pointing to their captive.

Remembering, the Breton turned back to the traitorous Lieutenant.

"Good question…" The vampire answered with a sinister grin.

Seeing the knight return his attention to him, Quinn could only look up in horror as the vampire's dreaded fangs came closer and closer.

/

As the turncoat soldiers were stripped of their equipment and processed for their captivity, the black knight's retinue quickly reequipped and rearmed. As one of Eostia's wealthiest ladies, Alicia Arcturus spared no expense in equipping her household guards. This showed as all of her castle guards were equipped in full chainmail armor and carried arming swords and elaborately designed billhooks. A shame they were issued to traitors.

The vampire sat at a desk within the gatehouse, writing in his journal as Olga leaned up against the wall closeby.

"What are we to do with these prisoners, my lord?" Sergeant Bauer asked, stepping up the knight.

"Take them to the walls." The knight ordered. "I'll rally the remaining citizenry."

"No need, dear lord. It appears we have an audience already." Olga pointed out, prompting the two men to look over.

Sure enough, it appeared a small crowd of citizens had gathered outside the gate. All watching the knight with a mix of emotions. Some rejoiced at the sight of the soldiers, while others showed fear or suspicion towards the undead knight and his infamous elven companion.

"Here it begins..." The vampire declared.


	11. Chapter 11

11

To Rescue a Princess

Standing over the battlefield map, Claudia eyed the fortress city of Feoh intensely. The intelligence she'd obtained from escaped refugees and rescued soldiers worried her. The enemy's sudden and successful attacks forced her to adopt a highly cautious strategy. As such, she hadn't made any attempts to recapture the city and her army had been focused on liberating smaller towns and villages, meanwhile, settlements and forts further south had been rapidly fortifying their positions.

"You know those pieces aren't going to move by just staring at them." A voice joked from behind her.

Turning, she smiled when she saw it was her loving husband, Claus. Despite her warnings and their long discussion, he insisted on accompanying her.

"I know that. I'm just cautious. We lost a battalion stationed nearby just before the siege, and we just found out about it two days ago. They were completely overrun by the bastards, and by the time we arrived, they demolished the fort and snuck off… They have us outmanned and outmaneuvered somehow." Claudia sighed in frustration as she turned back to the map.

"You can't hope to save everyone dear, think of how many we've lost with the war with the dark elves. We can only try our best." Claus said supportively as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

Despite her grim exterior and determination, the general soon accepted the passionate gesture and soon turned to embrace her husband.

Looking into his gentle, warm eyes reminded her just why she fell for him. She soon reaffirmed this when she leaned in to give him a long, passionate kiss.

"Look there! The gates open!" A sentry outside called out, interrupting the two after several moments.

/

Exiting the command tent, the couple were just as equally surprised as the soldiers as they saw two of the city's portcullises were raised.

Fearing the enemy would sally out, the soldiers scrambled from their tasks to take up arms and form defensive lines. Within tents, resting men and women rushed out, equipping armor and weapons and discarding food.

"Archers! To the walls!" Claudia commanded and the soldiers obeyed.

Several archers soon took to the camp's palisade walls, bows and arrows ready to meet the expected assault.

Instead of a horde of greenskins and undead charging them, however, they were greeted by the single form of a human man atop the main gatehouse. In his hands was an unrecognizable banner he waved proudly.

Unsure of this omen, the general and her husband looked to each other, unsure of what to do next.

/

Cautiously proceeding into the city unchallenged, the knightly cavalry was surprised to see that despite the devastation of the city, it's surviving inhabitants welcomed them, albeit rather coldly. People of all classes stared at the knights with obvious disdain, particularly towards Claudia. Looking back, it was understandable why they would feel this way. They had spent nearly six days under the bloody occupation of a horde of murderers, rapists, and looters.

But what they saw next caused many to turn white as sheets, with even some losing their stomachs at the sights and stenches.

Walking down the streets, the knights could only watch the madness unfurling before them in pure horror. All around them, mobs of citizens were busy killing captive orcs. Utilizing axes, hammers, and kitchen knives, they hacked apart and brutalized the former invaders. Once slain, the corpses were tossed onto a large firepit in the city center. Even more unsettling to the soldiers was the crowd gathered around the fires cheering and cursing out their enemies.

"By the goddess…" Claudia muttered to herself in bewilderment as one sound stood out amongst the bloody purge.

Passing by an alleyway, she watched in horror as a gang of six women pinned down a rather large orc. The greenskin screeched out in inhuman pain and terror as the largest woman slowly but sadistically disemboweled him with a knife. The orc threw his head back as his screaming soon ceased as his intestines flowed out onto the dirty street bellow.

"What in the name of the goddess is going on here?" Claudia demanded, pulling her horse up to the group.

"Purging our city of this filth, my lady as our liberator suggested." One of the women turned to answer.

"Your liberator?" Claudia asked.

"Aye. He found and harbored us. Then he armed and led us to retake our homes, one block at a time." Another woman spoke up.

"Where is he?" The general asked.

"My lady…" One of her knights tapped her on the shoulder, causing her to turn to face the man gazing off in another direction.

"Wha-" She spoke before catching sight of it.

From the distance, one could make out the sight of the Arcturus estate. Atop the walls were some twenty men crucified before the entire city. Standing beside the crosses were heavily armed men watching the advancing mounted knights intensely.

/

Approaching the castle gates, the expedition was quickly challenged by armed guards who greeted them just as coldly as the citizens.

"I do not recognize you as any lord or lady's troops, are you mercenaries?" Claudia asked aloud, stepping out from the square of knights.

"No, they're mine, my lady." The knight emerged from the guard tower.

Signaling to one of his guards, the gate was soon raised, and Claudia and her knightly bodyguards were allowed through. The knight quickly climbed down to greet the general and her bodyguards, with Olga flanking closely behind him.

"Cut those men loose." Claudia ordered, gesturing towards the men crucified atop the walls.

"No." The knight responded simply.

"That wasn't a request, Sir Henry." Claudia insisted.

"I take my orders from her holiness, and she ordered me to retake this city and recover Lady Alicia and Prim." He answered, folding his arms.

"Retake, not whatever sanguineness you've incited here." The marshall spat in response.

"I call it retribution for their crime against the state." The vampire rebutted.

"And what crime is that?" Claus asked, emerging from the knightly cavalry.

"Treason. These men were the sworn retainers of Lady Alicia and her family. Sworn by oath to serve and protect their lady, and this city. Yet, they were bribed by Prime Minister Beasley into surrendering their lady to the enemy." The Dragonborn explained coldly.

"Traitors or not, _I_ have overall command of this army. You should've waited until-" Claudia attempted to respond before being quickly cut off.

"Wait for what? For that weak-willed band of cowards, you call an army to "rescue" us? You've had your army encamped closeby for days now and you never made a move to recapture the city until now. It took my men only two days to flush out the bastards." Henry spat back, scoffing.

"Watch your tongue demon knight!" One of Claudia's knights stepped forward right up to the knight's face, quickly reaching for his sword.

Reacting quickly, the black knight reached out and grabbed the knight by the throat.

"Draw that sword and I'll flay you with it." He hissed into the terrified man's ear.

The two sides quickly went for their weapons and drew on each other. The bodyguards drew their swords, while the knight's cavalrymen drew their crossbows. The knight grasped onto the vampire's wrist in a desperate plea for mercy as he felt the man's grip tightening.

"Let him go!" Claudia ordered hastily.

"You're in no position to issue demands, General. Your knights are covered from an elevated position, I need only speak one word..." The knight calmly informed her, raising a hand calmly into the air.

The bodyguards watched in a mix of surprise and dread as the crossbowmen aimed their weapons down onto them. Even with their armor and shields, a single volley would likely punch through even the strongest armor.

"But I don't have any intention of spilling any more allied blood today…" Henry furthered, lowering his hand calmly. He then casually released his grip on the bodyguard, allowing the man to fall to his knees, gasping for air. "My men and I were just leaving to rescue Lady Alicia and Lady Prim."

The General and her lover could only watch in shock as the soldiers instantly lowered their crossbows before quickly running into the castle.

"Adieu, ma dame." The knight gave the shapely general a simple nod before Olga stepped forward. Taking his hand, a dark black orb emerged in her free hand. Giving a smirk and a pattern wink, the two instantly vanished in a dark cloud.

"Into the castle, they can't get away!" Claudia ordered and her retinue immediately split up and stormed inside.

/

Bursting into the sitting room, the marshall grimaced at the sight of the former Arcturus guardsmen. Despite the dead guards littered around the room, one thing stood out above all. Staring right at her was the form of Lieutenant Quinn. His eyes were replaced by two black sockets, his skin as white as snow, a visible bite mark on his neck. She initially thought him dead, but he soon defied this when he shifted his gaze directly into hers.

"What happened here, Lieutenant?" She asked.

"I betrayed her." He answered in a dead, emotionless tone.

"Why?" Claus asked.

"I confronted her in her quarters, we held a dagger to Lady Prim's throat. We put them in chains and gave them to Beasley." Quinn answered, once more in a flat tone.

"Why would you betray your liege?" Claus asked, noticing the man ignored him entirely.

"I betrayed her." He repeated. "I confronted her in her quarters, we held a dagger to Lady Prim's throat. We put them in chains and gave them to Beasley."

Hearing enough from the admitted traitor, Claudia drew her sword. She then quickly stepped forward before running her blade through the chest of the officer, killing him instantly.

Drawing her sword back, his body hit the floor with the jingling of his chainmail armor. She then pulled out a handkerchief from her pocket to wipe off the bloody blade.

Sheathing the sword, the couple looked to each other but lacked the courage to speak or express anything. Soon, one of the close doors burst open, revealing some of the other knights.

"My lady! We've checked the lower levels, no sign of them." One of her men informed her.

/

"Ha! You should've seen the look on her face when you grabbed that knight, I'll bet they all shit themselves!" Olga laughed from behind the knight.

"Indeed." Henry agreed with a simple nod.

Galloping at full speed, the knight and his ten riders soon caught up with the ten men sent out to scout out the directions given by the Lieutenant.

"Report, Sergeant." Henry requested.

"You were right sir, we encountered an enemy-held stronghold some four miles southwest. It's an encampment set up around an abandoned chapel." Bauer answered.

"Then there's no time to waste, let's move." The Dragonborn ordered and the group continued on.

/

Elsewhere

Looking off into the horizon, Maia felt slightly relaxed watching the sunset. A blessing, considering the stress she'd been under today.

"Getting soft on me now, Maia?" A masculine voice teased from behind her.

Turning her head, she felt her heartbeat slightly elevate when she made eye contact with Vault as he pulled her horse beside her. Seeing her sightly amber eyes, the famed mercenary's grin grew wider.

"Eh, just taking in whatever I can." She replied with a casual shrug of her shoulders.

"Fair enough, but let's not stay out here too long. Nightfall will be within the hour and I don't want my men wandering in the pitch dark." Vault said, turning his horse back towards the road.

"Are you getting soft on me now, Vault?" Maia joked, riding her horse forward.

"Hell no, just trying to play things smart, I heard Levantine lost some eight-hundred men only two days ago in an ambush." Vault retorted with a scoff.

Marching alongside them was the combined force of Black Dogs and half of Maia's mercenary army. Numbering at roughly two thousand, the army was composed of a variety of sellswords of varying skill and equipment. As neither cared to fund standardization of equipment, all carried what they could afford. Despite most wearing leather or padded armor, they made up for this by investing their wages into quality weapons.

"I heard from some escaped refugees from Feoh that the horde had humans fighting for them." Maia spoke, riding alongside the mercenary captain.

"Humans? I heard they were masked demons who fought like wild animals and took the scalps of their kills." Vault added.

"Scalps? Where'd you hear that shit from?" The redheaded mercenary laughed, hearing this.

"Some of Alicia's stragglers my men found a day's march from here. They were pretty shaken up. Got em talking with some drink though. Claimed that some managed to sneak into the city and raise the gates." Vault answered.

"You sure that wasn't the drink talking?" Maia asked rolling her eyes.

Rounding a bend in the road, the column came to an abrupt stop. Forcing the two to pull ahead to see what the delay was.

"Why are we stopping?" Vault called out to the unit at the head of the formation.

"Sorry, Cap. There's a downed tree blocking the road just up ahead." A Black Dog explained.

Sure enough, a large oak tree adjacent to the road had fallen onto the road. Though, as a squad of Black Dogs ran up to move it, Maia noticed something she had to squint to see. The cuts at the trunk seemed too fine for nature to have caused the tree to fall.

"Get back!" She shouted.

Suddenly, the squad was immediately cut down by a volley of arrows. Immediately after, the rest of the column came under attack. From the woods, a storm of javelins and arrows rained down upon the baffled mercenaries. Most were too surprised to react and were quickly killed by the missile attack. Though not injured by the volley, Maia and Vault were thrown to the ground as both of their mounts were killed.

Following the barrage, thousands of humanoid soldiers descended upon the tattered column from all sides. Those who survived the missile barrage were soon cut down by the ever-encroaching walls of infantry as they continued to be pushed further into a defensive square around their commanders.

Fighting for their lives, the two fought like lions. Even as their numbers continued to dwindle, the two mercenary officers inflicted great losses on their enemy. Swinging his greatsword, Vault lobbed off the head of an enemy soldier before impaling another on his blade. Closeby, Maia parried a sword swing with one of her short swords before stabbing a charging man through the stomach with her second blade. Turning she kicked a man to the ground before finishing him off with a stab to his throat.

Despite their brave resistance, it was ultimately futile. Soon after, Vault's sword was caught on a soldier's shield. Taking advantage of this, another soldier stabbed him through the leg, forcing him to the ground.

"Vault!" Maia shouted.

Turning around, she charged the two standing over her close friend. Raising one of her swords back, she slashed one man across the throat before turning to his friend. Before she could draw a sword back to thrust, her elbow was grabbed roughly from behind. She was then yanked back by an incredibly strong and tall soldier. From underneath the chainmail aventail covering his face, a pair of dark grey eyes stared into Maia's fearsome amber ones. Before she could attack this new challenger, the redhead was struck on the back of her head by a sword pommel.

Falling to her knees, she attempted to rise before a hard boot kicked her in the back, sending her to the ground. When she tried to grab one of her swords, she was surprised to see a dark leather boot step on her hand. Looking up, she was greeted by another soldier. Unlike the majority of soldiers, he was equipped in a set of beautiful bronze scale armor, which seemed so finely polished it looked as if it was made of gold.

"Greetings, my lady." The man spoke simply. "And good night."

Before she could say anything, the man raised a boot before swiftly kicking her in the face, knocking her out instantly.

/

Elsewhere

Parrying an axe swing, the knight smashed the pommel of his sword into the orc's face, breaking its nose. Kicking its leg out from under it, he flipped his sword upsidedown before finishing the creature off with a downwards stab. Drawing his sword from his kill, he raised it in time to block a mace swing from another orc. Knocking the blow to the side, the beast was soon frozen solid from an ice spell sent by Olga. Closeby his retinue finished off a squad of greenskins with blows from their swords and spears.

A war cry from nearby revealed yet another band of enemies to contend with. Grabbing hold of the dark elf queen, Henry pulled her to the back of the retinue. Forming closely together in a phalanx, the Warband's charge was stopped abruptly. While the first rank held their ground with their shields, the second dealt death from above with thrusts of their spears.

Pushing through wave after wave of undead and greenskin, the retinue moved at the pace of an unstoppable machine. As its parts were damaged, the sorceress rendered quick repair. Those who attacked from the sides were quickly put down by the black knight.

After several minutes of heavy fighting, the phalanx found their way to the end of the camp. Hearing crying coming from the largest tent, the knight ordered they advance there first.

Pulling the flaps aside revealed a horrific and blood boiling sight. The missing Feoh nuns had been gathered and just like the women of Emelle, had been gang-raped and tortured. Many women already lie dead, with those still alive all but braindead as they spoke in incoherent rambles. Placing a gentle hand on a nun's face, the knight grimaced as she continued to stare on blankly.

"Sergeant, escort these women back to the horses. _I_ will handle the rest." Henry ordered calmly. "Olga, go with them, do what you can."

"Yes, my lord." Olga nodded and the group soon went to work slowly coaxing the nuns into coming with them.

Stepping out from the tent, the knight set his sights on a small wooden structure. Approaching it, he found it to be a stockade. Behind a rusty iron door was the bruised and bloody form of Alicia Arcturus asleep in the corner. Gritting his teeth, he was reminded of his many failures and the dire consequences of them.

Shedding a tear, the knight gripped the door before suddenly ripping it off its hinges and tossing it aside. Rushing inside, he grabbed hold of the injured Knight of Iris before ripping off her restraints.

"You came… I didn't think you would." She said softly, haven awoken.

"Beasley. Where is he?" The knight asked.

Immediately, the knight wearily raised her arm before extending a finger to point in the direction of the ruined chapel across the way.

"I'll be back for you. I promise." He assured, standing back up before leaving her behind.

/

Kicking open the rotting door, the knight entered the largely overgrown chapel. At the altar, was the nude form of Beasley atop the young princess knight. Seeing the dread knight himself, the man quickly pulled out of the young girl. Looking over the nude form of Prim, Henry felt his teeth change when he saw every part of her abuse. Tears streamed down her face, along her back were whip marks, her face sported many bruises.

Immediately, Beasley grabbed Prim and forced her to stand before hastily grabbing a dagger from off a nearby table.

"Don't move, demon! I'll-I'll kill her!" He threatened.

The knight ignored this and sheathed his sword before walking towards them. An orcish bodyguard rushed forward to challenge the knight. Before it could raise its axe to full draw, the Dragonborn grabbed its wrist before punching a hand through the creature's ribcage.

Beasley dropped the dagger in terror as the vampire ripped the now-dead orc's heart from its body. The man looked to it before savagely biting into it and draining the blood from it.

For the first time, in a long time… Henry believed he needed to unleash a great evil he'd wished he wouldn't need.

His skin turned a hellish mix of black and red before his body began to change. His armor disappeared, his limbs became thinner but longer, a pair of wings formed on his back as his long hair shed.

Emerging from his transformation, he took on the form of the vampire lord.

"Maybe we come to an agree-"

Before he could finish his sentence, the vampire lord had grabbed the man by his throat before throwing him into a wooden bench, shattering it instantly.

"I could make you- grrrraaaaaah!"

Ignoring his offer, the vampire reached down to the downed man. Wrapping his clawed hands around his still erect member, he brutally ripped it off the traitor's body.

"**You don't seem to understand."** The vampire lord spoke in a distorted, demonic tone.

The now cockless man feebly attempted to rise, but the tremendous bloodloss meant he couldn't move a muscle. The vampire then calmly grabbed the downed man before lifting him into the air, placing one hand on his ribcage, the other on his leg.

"**None escape their guilt…"**

"Please… No… No...Argh!" Beasley begged to no avail.

**...and the guilty must be punished." **

The vampire knight then slowly began to pull in opposite directions, causing the traitorous steward to screech out in agony as his torso began to separate from his legs.

Prim watched silently from her spot underneath a table, a sneer on her face as she witnessed the brutal slaying.

/

Leaving Olga with the surviving nuns, the twenty man cohort rushed back up the hill to aid their commander. However, jaws and some stomachs dropped at the horrific sight before them.

Hanging from the ruined chapel was the dismembered body of Prime Minister Beasley, split in two. Painted on the walls in blood were the words: "Traitor", and "Rapist".

Emerging from the stockade, the vampire lord carried Alicia over his shoulder, while Prim walked by his side. Approaching his men, they could only stare in bewilderment as he reverted back to his original form.

Reemerging from the dark cloud, his red eyes stared into those of Sergeant Bauer who immediately stepped forward.

"Hail, blood knight!" He cheered and soon the rest of the retinue followed suit.


	12. Chapter 12

12

Revelations

Days Later

Sitting at her throne, Celestine furrowed as she read the report produced by her scout. At the foot of her throne were her closest advisors.

Suddenly, the door to the throne room burst open, revealing the glimmering black armor of the dark baron. He strode into the room, a sack held under one arm. Approaching the queen, the knight immediately knelt before her.

"I am told you were successful in recovering Lady Alica and Lady Prim?" Celestine asked.

"Yes, your holiness. Though they are both alive, I'm afraid both were raped before I could reach them. Lady Alicia, it seems, received the worst of it." The knight only looked to his boots, shamefully. "The nuns were even worse, most were dead when we found them. We managed to bring those who survived with us."

"And Beasley? What about the Prime Minister?" The queen asked, prompting the knight to rise.

Emptying the sack revealed the severed head of the former prime minister rolled onto the floor, a horrified look on his face. Seeing this, the council recoiled in shock and disgust.

"Was that-" Claudia asked before the knight suddenly cut her off.

"Necessary? Yes. He was guilty of treason, as were the guards under Lady Alicia's employ. They surrendered the castle and allowed the horde to defile their mistress and city. Their deaths will serve as a reminder for those who dare to defy their divine lady." The knight answered coldly.

"I agree, traitors must be dealt with. As such, I will decide should they live or die. Is that understood, Sir Henry?" Celestine stood, placing a hand on the knight's shoulder.

"As you wish." He answered.

Despite settling this, the knight and the general stared at each other with unmistakable animosity that wasn't lost on the queen or the rest of the council.

"With that dealt with, we have further matters to discuss. Regarding the fate of Vault and Maia, it appears their two thousand mercenary reinforcements were ambushed and annihilated." The goddess reborn spoke, changing the subject.

"Indeed. With the influx of refugees from the north come claims and reports of humans amongst the horde." Kaguya spoke, shifting her attention to the conversation.

"They can't be any mercenary company from Eostia, all have already accepted contracts with the army. Do you happen to know something about these humans, Sir Henry?" Celestine asked the knight.

"I can't be sure unless I see a corpse or a banner. Like Eostia, there is no shortage of mercenary and sellsword companies in Tamriel. However, all operating under Imperial jurisdiction are under the laws and regulations set by the Empire and their Fighter's Guild, so that narrows the margins, though only slightly." The knight speculated.

"How so?" Claudia asked.

"The empire expressly forbids mercenary groups from partaking in foreign conflicts, but those operating outside the Empire's borders, however, are free to do as they please." Henry explained.

/

After the council meeting ended, the goddess reborn left the throne room for the knight's guest room. Despite the insistence of her bodyguard, she'd decided to walk alone.

"Sir Henry?" She asked, knocking on the door.

After several moments of silence, it seemed the Breton knight had left the castle after the council meeting. Curious, she used her magic to allow her to unlock the door.

Stepping inside, she noted that the room looked nearly just as it was when the knight had been ushered there days earlier. The floors had been swept, the bed made with the corners folded with strict military discipline. The knight appeared to be a minimalist, bringing only weapons and essential supplies with him. Sitting atop a small table was what appeared to be a rusty flanged mace, a sinister skull lay engraved on each face of the mace head. Leaning against the table was an immaculate silver bow beside a quiver of matching arrows.

What piqued the queen's interest was the large rolled-u scroll sitting atop the desk. To say it was beautiful was an understatement. Aside from the luxurious velvet handles on both sides, it appeared the outer casing was from smelted gold with rare gemstones embedded into it. Whatever it was, the knight placed high importance on it. Approaching it, she tried to lift one end, only to be confronted by just how truly heavy the scroll was.

Spotting the broken seal, she instinctively reached for the edge of the paper before stopping after grasping the edge of the rough parchment.

For several moments, she hesitated over her next actions. On one hand, she was peering behind the eyes of the angel of death who'd fallen into her court. And on the other, she was violating the trust and privacy of a fiercely loyal vassal and retainer.

Pulling open then scroll she felt her body suddenly heat up as the largely unreadable block of text immediately began to glow.

The world around her soon began to warp and change as the desk vanished. The walls vanished amongst an abyss of blackness and mist, the wooden floor gave way to snow-covered dirt.

Suddenly, a thousand voices and screams bombarded her pointed ears, forcing her to recoil in pain. Soon a pattering of footsteps followed as a group of scarlet-clad human soldiers rushed past her, ladders in hand. A sharp whistling sliced through the air as they were soon cut down by arrows.

Looking up, Celestine found herself staring at a stonewall. Atop the wall's ramparts stood opposing human soldiers in blue cloaks and leather armor. From their position, they held back the advancing army before another sharp whistling cut past the goddess' ears.

Turning around she found the besieging army had sent their archers forward to suppress the fire from the defenders. Returning fire, they managed to fell several of the enemy archers before the rest were forced to take cover.

The rest of the darkness soon seceded slightly, revealing a chaotic battlefield. All around her, "suicide squads" of soldiers rushed the walls to place ladders for the rapidly advancing infantry, only to be cut down or repulsed by the defenders.

"Testudo! Form testudo!" An officer clad in glimmering chainmail ordered as he and a company of roughly one hundred formed to assault the walls. Atop his hauberk was a light blue surcoat, with a white deer showcasing the man's noble heritage and coat of arms.

Raising their rectangular shields, they formed a protective wall with the first-row holding them out directly in front of them. The second to last followed by holding them over their heads, providing protection from above. They then soon advanced, not as a group of individual warriors, but rather as a cohesive machine of metal and muscle. Approaching the walls, the defenders threw all they had. Arrows, bolts, and even rocks fell upon them, but they would not be stopped.

Nearing the fallen squad, the officer boldly emerged from the wall of shields to personally grab hold of one of their ladders before rushing to the walls.

"Over the walls, let's go!" He shouted, encouraging his men as they surged forward to support their commander.

Grabbing hold of two other ladders, the century soon found themselves pushing themselves up the walls. The knight bravely leading them as he was the first to reach the top amongst the hail of arrows and spearpoints. Jumping atop the battlements, he took an enemy's spear stab to his breastplate before slamming his blade through the head of the man, shattering his leather helmet and skull beneath. Spinning around, he dodged a high swing from an axe before facing his next attacker. Striking the man with an unexpected jab with the pommel of his sword, his attacker was dazed. Taking advantage of this, the knight kicked the man in the abdomen, forcing him off the battlements and plunging to his death.

The knight then narrowly avoided a swing by a mace as a heavily armored enemy stepped forward to challenge him. Before the defender could raise his mace for another attack, however, he was stabbed through the back of the neck. As his body fell, the commander found another knight had come to his aid. The knight bore a white surcoat bearing the symbol of a black wolf atop his chainmail.

Following their example, several other centuries charged other sections of the wall. With their ladders, the army descended upon their strained enemies and their undermanned walls.

Soon the fog returned and the battlefield vanished before the bewildered elven queen.

Soon a pattering of feet caused the fog to retreat once more, revealing she now stood in the middle of city streets. Rushing past her was a squad of azure cloaked soldiers retreating towards a fortified palace. Pursuing them was the century of soldiers leading the charge of several hundred more attackers. Reaching the vicinity of the palace, they came under further harassment from the palace defenders.

"On your feet soldier!" The blue knight shouted at a fallen soldier, injured by an arrow as he reached down to pull the man to his feet.

Soon the palace courtyard was filled with hundreds of attackers. The leading century smashing at the front door, a capped battering ram in hand.

After several moments of the palace's siege, the front doors burst open, and the invaders flood and began combating the awaiting defenders. Steel clashed, wood splintered, and the screams of men were all that could be heard amongst the burning city.

In the middle of the fighting were the two knights who lead their centuries from the front. Blocking an axe swing with his shield, the white knight rammed his sword through the midsection of a charging enemy.

Closeby, his blue compatriot slammed his shield into an enemy, forcing the man into a wall before stabbing the man through the throat. Doing this, however, opened him up to attack and the knight was struck against the back of the head by an axe swing. Falling to the ground, he was sent to his knees. The axe-wielding soldier raised his weapon to finish off the man with a heavy downwards blow.

Before he could execute this, however, a sword swing cleft off his raised hand. The man grabbed at his amputated limb before screeching in response to the sudden blood loss. Soon after, a sword blade pierced his heart, killing him instantly.

The white knight reached out to the fallen blue knight, grasping each other's forearms, the unknown knight pulled his fellow officer to his feet.

"Are you alright, brother?" The knight asked, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm alright." His compatriot answered, grabbing his sword.

Reentering combat, fog soon engulfed the combined centuries and Celestine found herself alone once more.

Soon, the smell of ash and brimstone filled the air and clouded the goddess' lungs. She fell to her knees, struggling for breath.

Soon screams and the pattering of feet caused her to look up. Rushing past her was a mob of civilians in flight from something truly horrifying.

As the fog cleared, the elven queen found herself in the middle of a smoldering town. All around her, buildings burned and crumbled. The residents fled in a panic with some falling to the ground and being trampled.

"Everyone out!" A town guard cloaked in yellow ordered.

Suddenly, a loud screech filled the air, forcing all to hold their ears in pain. Looking up, Celestine's jaw dropped as she saw it.

Diving down onto the burning town was a massive jade-green dragon. Opening its maw, flames spewed out, engulfing man and building alike. She couldn't help but cry as she watched charred people attempt to drag themselves to a nearby river in the hope of saving themselves. Mothers and fathers scrambled to locate and save their families amidst the chaos.

Celestine watched in horror as the dragon soon flew directly for her, opening its deadly maw, a bright light could be seen coming up its throat.

Before she could be scorched, however, a blue wave passed right by her, striking the dragon and sending it veering off its original course.

"Fus Ro Dah!" A voice belted out.

Her horror soon changed to hope when she saw the two knights run past her. Drawing their swords, the two men charged the scaled beast as it landed in a nearby field.

Opening its mouth, the dragon spat fire at its opponents. Both men instinctively raised their enchanted shields, allowing them to weather the ranged attack and push forward. The white knight flanked to the right, while the blue knight flanked left.

The Blue knight slightly lowered his guard, allowing the dragon to swipe at him with one of his wings. With the beast's attention diverted, the white knight charged in to engage the beast. He slashed against the dragon's neck and underside. The beast cried out in pain but seemed even more furious than before.

Utilizing its powerful wings, it knocked away the attacking white knight before quickly gaining altitude. Reacting quickly, the blue knight jumped aboard the scaled beast by grabbing ahold of its tail. Despite its best efforts, the blue knight wouldn't let go and soon climbed his way up the beast's belly.

Then, with one hand, he rammed his sword into the heart of the dragon. Crying out in pain, the lizard soon lost its height and was forced to crash land back into the field.

Emerging from the dead dragon, the knight removed his helmet. To Celestine shock, it was Henry. Though younger, much younger. In fact, he looked no older than twenty-one. Instead of the unsettling ruby eyes, she'd grown used to, his face was adorned by a pair of dark sapphire ones.

Her eyes widened even further when the skin of the dragon began to disintegrate amidst a bright light surrounding the corpse and the Breton. The light then transferred itself to the knight who's body immediately began to glow. After several moments, the large reptile's skin completely melted away, revealing only the skeleton as the knight stepped off the dead beast.

The white knight then ran up to Henry before slapping him on the shoulder in a friendly gesture before removing his helmet. Underneath was an equally young human man with cream white skin, short black hair, and a pair of warm, brown eyes.

Soon a crowd of the townspeople gathered before the slain dragon and its two slayers. The man at the head, a town guard soon smiled in recognition of the two youths' skill and valor.

"All hail the Dragonborn!" He cheered aloud and soon the crowd sullied forward to welcome their saviors.

Seeing the people rejoice at the two knights put a smile on the elven queen's face, but it seemed every moment that passed, the sound of them cheering became louder and louder. Soon she couldn't hear amongst the celebration. Suddenly, a bright light hit Celestine's eyes, forcing her to shut them tightly in pain.

"My lady!"

/

Reopening her eyes, she found herself lying within the black knight's arms. Beaming down at her were the red eyes of her vassal, who sat worried for her.

"Can you see, your grace?" He asked softly.

"I… Yes, I can see you. It's a bit fuzzy, but I can see." Celestine answered with a smile, reaching up to pet the vampire's concerned face.

"Thank the eight. I didn't think I could pull you from the scroll, let alone save you…" He expressed in relief, confusing her.

"What do you mean?" She asked, cutely tilting her head.

"What's going on in-Get away from her, you bastard!" Claudia demanded, stepping into the room.

Seeing the state of her liege, the general and her bodyguards drew their swords to the horror of Celestine.

"I knew you couldn't be trusted! Seize him!" Claudia spat as the three advanced on the knight who made no moves to defend himself.

"No, stand down!" Celestine commanded her bodyguards who quickly lowered their blades, though only reluctantly.

"Tell us about these scrolls." Claudia requested, sheathing her sword.

/

Elsewhere

Waking up, Vault found himself shackled to a stone wall. Looking around, he found he was alone within what appeared to be a cell.

Suddenly, the door nearby opened, revealing the tall, dark form of a chainmail-clad soldier. Entering the cell, the soldier placed a metal tray containing food on the floor before grabbing what appeared to be a sliced loaf of bread.

Taking a slice, the veiled soldier aimed it at Vault's face before bringing it closer. He smirked when he realized his captors intended on feeding him like a small child.

"So is this uh, daycare, or somethin?" The mercenary joked, shifting his head away to prevent the soldier from feeding him.

The soldier only glared at him, unamused, he then calmly put the bread back down onto the platter.

"What am I grounded now-" Vault taunted before the soldier lashed out at him. Striking him across the face with a hard right hook, throwing his head to the side.

Despite his skill and experiences, the sellsword had to admit, _that_ hurt. Looking back at the soldier, he spat out blood and a broken tooth at him.

"Huh, you hit like a bitch…" He laughed, playing off the hard punch.

"Good… Because this bitch will be the last thing you'll see." The soldier responded with a strangely gruff but feminine voice that shocked the mercenary captain. Standing up, she opened the door allowing light from the hallway to illuminate the dark cell.

Squinting his eyes in response, the sellsword was pleasantly surprised to make out the far clearer signs of her feminine form. Her muscular arms and long legs were built like those of an ox's, but her hourglass waist and jawdropping mounds betrayed that. He smirked at this. She wasn't a dainty woman like Celestine or Claudia. Her pitiless grey eyes showed she meant business and only business. She was strong, but she didn't play, unlike Maia… She was a bad bitch.

"I wouldn't mind dying if this is what was treating me…" He flirted in hopes of getting further under her skin.

In response, she grabbed his jaw with one hand before yanking it open. Then with the other, she began to forcefully hand feed him small chunks of bread. Unscrewing her waterskin, she poured small amounts of water down his throat.

"Careful what you wish for, friend…" A masculine voice spoke from the doorway. "That's enough, Borgakh, I'll take it from here."

Looking up, Vault spotted another visitor. A slightly shorter man in gold-like scale armor, complete with a matching mask. As the curvaceous soldier left the cell, he stepped inside to replace her.

"I hope my legionnaires weren't too rough with you, they don't like to take chances with risky cargo such as you and your friend." The man spoke, pulling out a wooden chair to sit in.

"Hey, if you've got more built like her, I think I'm gonna love it here." Vault joked.

"Indeed. There's a certain beauty underneath all the strength and anger, but when its unleashed… that's what I most enjoy seeing." The officer nodded in agreement.

"Why don't we skip the philosophy and cut to why we're talking?" The sellsword suggested.

"By all means…"

/

Village of Naeron, north of Ken

After clearing out the attacking horde, the soldiers of Eostia rallied the population and tended to their wounded. Two soldiers were busy harvesting and piling the corpses of the enemy for immediate cremation, en masse. Olga saw to overseeing the medical services and had five soldiers assigned to follow her words in providing medical care. Meanwhile, Sergeant Bauer and an Eostian Army officer were busy overseeing the construction of earthwork defenses and providing perimeter security.

Sitting atop his horse, the black knight oversaw the task of reconstruction, diligently. Not far behind him was a carriage containing the goddess incarnate and her bodyguard. Looking back, he rolled his eyes as Claudia shot him a threatening glance.

"Commander, we managed to ambush a scattered group and take one of them prisoner!" Simcoe rode forward to inform the knight.

Looking back once more to the carriage, the vampire received a firm nod from Celestine.

"Bring us to him."

/

Entering the repurposed hut, the elven queen was greeted by the sight of a young Imperial man clad in chainmail. He sported a brunette ponytail and a pair of cocky, ambitious green eyes. A set of hooded robes underneath his armor suggested he was a mage of some sort. Following closely behind her was Claudia who only eyed the man with a combination of disdain and curiosity.

"Who do you work for?" Celestine instinctively asked.

"The Colovian Company." He answered simply.

"Where are you keeping Lady Maia and Vault?" Celestine asked.

"You know I can't tell you, my lady. That would be bad for business to spill client secrets like that." The captured mercenary answered.

"Either you can tell us, or do we have to start playing rough?" Claudia growled, menacingly.

"That won't work, he's been conditioned for interrogations and torture." The black knight spoke in response, entering behind the two women with Olga following closely behind him.

Seeing the undead Dragonborn, the man's smirk grew even wider in acknowledgment.

"How do you know-" Claudia asked, cocking an eyebrow in suspicion before the Imperial cut her off.

"Henry. It's been some time…" He spoke, surprising the two women.

"Indeed, it has Marcurio." Henry replied with a firm nod.

"You know this man, Sir Henry?" Celestine asked.

"Know him? Ha! He practically mentored me." Marcurio answered with a proud smile. "What? He hasn't told any of you yet? Typical Henry. Then again, he always loved keeping the pretty ones out of the loop…"

Looking to the Breton knight, jaws dropped as the detained mage soon spoke of their knightly companion.

"This is Sir Henry Morell of Daggerfall, Imperial war hero of the Skyrim Civil War and Dragonborn of myth… and one of the most infamous mercenaries in Tamriel. Founder of the Colovian Company and its original Legate. The Slave Crusher of Morrowind, the pirate lyncher of Stros M'Kai, and Bane of the West. He wrote our doctrine and personally trained us, he shaped us up from untrained commoners to the most powerful private military company in history. This man is nothing short of a legend." Marcurio announced with no shortage of emphasis on the knight's sinister pursuits.

"Sir Henry… Is… Is this?" Celestine asked.

When asked, the knight only nodded in silence.

"Don't you just love these reunions?"


	13. Chapter 13

13

Love and War

"You led these mercenaries?" Claudia asked, bitterly.

"Yes, for ten years." The knight answered. "Look, I know you don't trust me. I understand that, but right now, the priority is Maia and Vault."

He then turned his attention to the restrained mage who only smirked at the angry display before him.

"He's been trained well, he won't tell us where they are." The knight announced. "But he won't have to."

"Then how will we find them?" Celestine asked.

Eyebrows cocked as the vampire sank down to the Imperial's level. Reaching to a nearby table, he retrieved grabbed a small knife before swiftly slicing through his rope bindings. He then tossed the blade aside before placing his hands on the Nibenean's shoulders.

"Fear not the night." He spoke solemnly, forcing eye contact with the mage.

"But the creatures that lie beneath." Marcurio answered immediately after, his smirk dropping to a neutral expression.

Then, without warning, the dark baron sank his fangs into a vein along the Nibenean's neck. In a strange display of discipline, the spellsword didn't resist the vampire but rather wrapped his arms around him, accepting his fate. As he felt his life fading away, he closed his eyes for his final task before his eternal slumber.

"My queen…" Claudia shuddered, turning to the goddess reborn.

All Celestine could do was watch, mesmerized by the savage feeding. With every passing moment, the mage's flesh turned paler, his eyes became cloudier, and his expression flattened even further.

Attempting to step forward to challenge the knight, Claudia was blocked by Olga who placed herself between the general and the vampire. The marshall's look of dread and confusion clashing with the look of determination on the dark elf when they made eye contact.

Suddenly, the vampire stopped his feeding and released his grip on Marcurio's shoulders. Turning his gaze to the three women, blood dripped out from the seams of his lips, meanwhile, his eyes glowed with the majestic but terrifying combination of gold and red. Rising to his feet, Olga simply moved out of his way before moving behind him.

"You… you can't leave." Claudia stuttered, still attempting to gain a grip on herself.

"And you _can't_ stop me." Henry answered chillingly, wiping the blood off his lips. "Afterall, I am to save Maia and Vault."

"How? You killed our only lead to their whereabouts." Celestine questioned, just as bewildered as her general.

"Who said I simply killed him?" He asked back. Suddenly, the bloodless corpse soon began to move once more.

Reopening his eyes, black empty orbs replaced the once chocolate brown eyes his face once bore. Stumbling to the undead knight, he took his place beside the sorceress in a gesture to follow his master.

"Like myself, he is in a state of undeath. He is enthralled to me, he will obey all commands I ask of him unquestioningly." The knight spoke, turning to the undead Marcurio. "Run home."

Hearing this, the thrall immediately sprinted out of the tent, the deadly duo following closely behind him.

"My lady, we must act. He is far too dangerous to be allowed to roam freely." Claudia spoke.

/

Walking through the village, the pair was bombarded by the stunned gazes of the townspeople and Eostian soldiers. To his surprise, many nodded or even showed blatant support for the blood knight with many praising him and his men. Soon, his dispersed retinue rallied closely behind their commander.

"You did that to Chloe, didn't you?" Olga asked, catching up to the knight.

"Yes. I enthralled her and sent her back to the fortress, that way I could use her to track you down." He answered, continuing to closely watch the enthralled Marcurio.

"How is she still alive and not… like him?" The dark elf asked, gesturing to the former spellsword.

"How do you know she's still alive?" He asked in return, causing her heart to jump into her throat.

Before she could say anything in return, Olga spotted the small sign of a grin on the vampire knight's face. He seemed to instantly know the question had gotten under her skin and was playing upon her fear.

"Don't worry… I only took a small amount of her blood, left her with more than enough for her to live, but just enough for me to control her… temporarily of course." He answered, causing the dark elf to slightly shudder in fear as she slunk back behind him.

Reaching the end of the town, the group encountered a group of roughly thirty local youths. Further interaction revealed their intention of enlisting in his retinue. Though their inclusion would more than double his low numbers, the knight didn't enjoy the idea of pressing untrained peasants into combat.

Their equipment limitations also reduced their uses and expected battlefield performance. Unlike the professional Imperial Legions, the Eostian army relied on conscripted levy infantry along with a strong core of knightly cavalry. Each soldier was required to purchase their own weapons and armor. Due to the town's poverty, none could afford any armor and carried only spears and basic hand axes.

Despite these grim circumstances, the knight was used to the unfavorable odds. In many ways, this world reminded him of his homeland. The region known as High Rock was a loose collection of petty kingdoms that fought each other just as often as they fought the orcs of Orsinium. Just like Eostia, Daggerfall was a Feudalistic state with the king relying on loyal lords to provide their levies in addition to his own.

In the end, he would have to improvise. Commandeering a wooden wagon, he had his men quickly reinforce the walls with wooden planks, there the new recruits would use it as a war wagon. Arrowslits cut into the walls would allow the soldiers inside to fire out of the vehicle, while also being substantially protected.

Once the group of roughly fifty had finished the makeshift infantry fighting vehicle, they quickly departed the town.

Raising his head slightly, the vampire sniffed the air around him. The scent was strong. The search party was still hot on his trail.

/

Elsewhere, Road leading to Ansur

Riding along the dirt road, the single hooded rider watched the devastated countryside with passive interest. Crops were destroyed, and livestock slaughtered, indicating the local baron had ordered a scorched earth policy in response to the northern invasion.

Soon he would find the outer gatehouse of one of the southern cities, Ansur. After tipping some gold at the mercenaries on watch, he was quickly ushered into the city.

The stench of the city caused his nose to recoil in disgust, while the sight of black smog from metal foundries and burning trash hardly inspired good thoughts of his destination. From what he'd learned the city was the fiefdom of Lady Maia and the main base of operations for her mercenary company. The city itself held a dubious reputation as a prosperous, but dangerous and crime-ridden city known informally as the "City of Mercenaries" due to most of the countries' sellswords hailing from its many slums.

Spotting a tavern, he quickly entered to escape the unsanitary city. Inside were types just as expected from such a backwater neighborhood.

The tables were occupied by men of varying caliber, some common thugs and brawlers, others by mercenaries as evidenced by their open-carrying of swords and armor. Stepping up to an empty barstool, the hooded traveler sat down before he was quickly addressed.

"You don't look like a local, you an outsider looking for work?" The bartender, a scarred, middle-aged man asked, placing a mug of the local brew in front of him.

"You could say that, got a lead for me?" The traveler answered simply.

Taking the local beer, the man lowered his cloth mask to allow himself to drink. He took several hard chugs before calmly putting the half-empty tankard down.

"Might want to check with Royce, he's the head sergeant and local recruiter for the Black Dogs. He'd be your best bet for steady gold." The barkeep asked, his gruff voice and physical build reflecting a man with life experience and skill, indicating he was likely a retired mercenary himself.

"What about Maia's band? I thought they were top sellswords in town." The man asked.

"Aye. But they don't take just anybody, Lady Maia handles recruiting personally, and she's been missing for days now. Some folk saying she got captured along with Vault in an ambush." The bartender answered.

"Thanks." The traveler said, concluding their conversation. Rising from his stool, he placed a handful of gold coins as payment before making his way to the door.

Upon exiting the tavern, he was confronted by a trio of muscled thugs.

"My boys and I would like to have a word with you abo-" Before he could finish, a blade cut across his throat, quickly killing him.

Seeing their leader easily beaten, the two remaining thugs were surprised to see their "victim" had quickly drawn his weapon, an elegantly designed arming sword. Going for their weapons, he quickly rushed forward, slamming one man aside before engaging his friend. The swordsman blocked an overhead swing from a falchion before striking him in the throat with the pommel of the sword, dazing him. He then looked over to see the thug's friend recovering in time to charge him. Before engaging the third man, he finished off the second man with a backward stab before swiftly dive-rolling out of the way from an oncoming slash.

As he'd left his blade in the gut of the second man, the wanderer was forced to dodge attacks, thankfully, the thug's skill was extremely underwhelming. Eventually, he found an opening and slipped past the man's guard, grabbing hold of his hands and sweeping his feet out from under him. Taking control of the rusty shortsword, he brought the blade down on the downed thug's skull.

Finishing his foes, he turned to see a large group of townspeople watching with passing interest. Seeing the fight end, all soon walked off and resumed their daily schedules.

"Nice moves." A man complimented.

Turning, the wanderer found it belonged to a mercenary, on his leather breastplate the symbol of a Black Dog was emblazoned.

"That a common thing around here?" The wayfarer asked, sheathing his sword.

"'Fraid so, if it isn't those pricks trying to rob ye, it'll be the Thieves Guild trying to pick your pocket." He answered. "But if you run with us... Everyone here will give you a wide berth."

"You Royce?" The hooded man asked.

"The one and only." The mercenary gave a curt bow.

"This Thieves Guild, you know where they operate out of?" The wanderer asked. Reaching to his satchel, he pulled out a rather sizable pouch of silver coins.

"Do I?" He answered with a grin.

/

Hours Later

Ken, Royal Bedchamber

Within a warm bedchamber, Celestine tossed and turned within her bed. Deep in slumber, the queen was plagued by a horrid nightmare.

Surrounded by a neverending black sea, a shrill scream echoed through her ears for several moments. Suddenly, a bright light hit her eyes, forcing her to shut them. Once the light subsided, she reopened them to find herself staring at a burning manor house.

"Papa! Help me!" A voice now much clearer screeched out from inside the scorching home.

Celestine's heart soon dropped as she tearfully realized the voice was that of a child burning to death.

"No! No! Arrrrrgggggghhhh!" Another voice screamed out in agony as the flames soon reached her.

"No!" A masculine voice bawled out from behind the queen, prompting her to turn to face them.

To her shock and horror, it was Henry. Alive, but noticeably injured. His armor was replaced by a tattered and bloodstained tunic. His face bore numerous fresh scars along with a black eye. He immediately limped past the goddess towards his front door before throwing himself inside.

After several moments, he once again reemerged, this time carrying the lifeless body of a raven-haired woman in his arms. Attempting to walk down the stairs, he tripped, dropping the woman and falling to ground himself.

"No, no no! Stay with me, my love…" He spoke, shaking the woman's bloodied body to no avail.

"Please… come back… come back…" He begged, choking on his own tears as he continued to attempt to revive her.

It tore the goddess' heart apart being forced to watch this tragic event, but that, unfortunately, wasn't all.

"He's over here!" A voice called out.

Suddenly, a group of roughly seven armored soldiers cautiously approached the scorching manor home, with a horseman arriving soon after. Further her shock was the knight's surcoat, it was bright white with a black wolf woven in the center.

Looking at his attackers, the Breton could only bear to look at the white knight with shame and sorrow, silently.

"Forgive me… brother." The white knight spoke, removing his helmet to reveal a scornful smile.

"Henry!" Celestine having suffered enough, broke and ran towards the fallen hero.

Before she could reach him, however, the treacherous knight rammed a dagger into the Dragonborn's heart. A tear slipped down his cheek before his body soon went limp and he wordlessly collapsed over his wife's body.

"No!" She screamed, waking up.

Looking around, she saw her bedchamber as she had remembered it. Sitting up, she found herself in a puddle of her own sweat.

/

Elsewhere

Blood splattered and bones split as weapons cleaved and pierced through flesh and bone. Managing to scale the enemy walls, the knight's contingent soon fought their way to the gatehouse. Removing the blocking bar, the wooden gates were soon opened, allowing the reinforcing recruits to flood in.

Leading from the front, the knight ordered they fight in a tightly packed formation. With their shields locked together, they steadily advanced, the first row comprising the knight's original twenty cavalrymen, trained and reasonably experienced soldiers. The second and third rows were made of entirely new recruits led by Sergeant Bauer maintaining order and cohesion. As they were skill was lacking, they were used to provide overhead attacks with their spears and as bracing support. At the very back of the formation was Olga who provided magical support and rearguard support.

Hacking through the camp, the group soon reached the "second floor". It was a silver mine, apparently abandoned months ago due to constant bandit raids and the decreasing yield of the facility.

Pressing forward, they were greeted by the sight of cracked stonework along with even more greenskins and undead.

Blocking a swing from a Warhammer, the knight slammed an orc with his shield before running his sword through him. Looking to his right and left, his men continued to batter the opposition away with little resistance.

An imp suddenly gave out a guttural war cry before sailing through the air for an aerial attack, only to be thrown to the ground with a shield bash. Before the creature could rise, one of the recruits of the second row finished it off with a thrust of his spear. This continued for several minutes with wave after wave of greenskins and undead crashing onto the retinue as they continued to close in.

After seemingly hours of heavy fighting, the augmented retinue managed to neutralize the mine.

"My lord, he's in here!" One of his soldiers called out.

Rushing to a small chamber, the undead knight found Vault chained to the wall. His face swollen and missing teeth, though it appeared he had been treated fairly decently. Olga stood closeby and quickly tended to his minimal injuries.

"Vault? Vault!" He shook the unconscious mercenary.

"Huh? Oh! It's you! About damn time you showed up." Vault chuckled, regaining consciousness.

"Vault, where's Maia?" Henry asked, quickly breaking off the sellsword's restraints.

"They took her hours ago, I overheard they were moving south, not sure where though." He answered.

/

Elsewhere

With the gates taken, cohorts of the company infantry poured into the sleeping city of Ansur. Unlike Feoh, the city's inhabitants, though taken by surprise, fought fiercely and quickly organized themselves into crude battlelines.

Fighting like the knight's contingent, each century of one hundred fought as a cohesive block of infantry. The first row locked their shields together and utilized stabs from their swords to grind down their enemies. Unlike his retinue, however, they were far more experienced and fought with even further complexity. After several minutes of fighting, the centurion gave a unique trumpet or whistle command and the first row would quickly retreat to the rear with the second taking over its duties. This would ensure that fresh legionnaires would always be in a position to combat their foes. Due to their heritage with the Imperial Legions, their original Legate equipped them uniformly in chainmail and lamellar, allowing them to fill in the role of heavy infantry.

By comparison, the mercenaries fighting for Ansur were a mixture of Maia's remaining forces and those of the Black Dogs, along with smaller unaffiliated bands. They often fought in much more simplistic formations but utilized far more varied weapons, including polearms. As most were lightly equipped in leather and padded armor, they quickly learned to not face invaders in open combat, but rather to fight as irregulars. Utilizing ambush tactics whenever possible, along with delaying and funneling tactics to slow down their rapid advance.

In response to their guerilla tactics, the Colovians often resorted to leveling entire neighborhoods with fire and indiscriminate bombardment. When confronting large groups of civilians, they ordered all to the ground or face on the spot execution.

In the end, the veteran legion proved superior and steadily pushed the defenders back towards the castle within a matter of hours. By the morning, the castle fell with the remaining defenders choosing to surrender to the foreign sellswords, rather than face massacre or mass rape from the horde.

/

Two Days Later

Walking through the dirty streets, the wanderer noticed that life had strangely returned to some semblance of normalcy. Though the crowds were considerably smaller, residents attempted to resume their daily lives under the watchful eyes of the company. Cohorts were garrisoned throughout neighborhoods with legionnaires patrolling the streets and standing on street corners. From there they enforced a rigid occupation including a curfew at night with violaters quickly and cruelly punished.

In an effort to crackdown on dissidents, entire centuries went door to door, searching homes and confiscating any and all weapons. Furthermore, smithies and metal foundries were ordered to produce only basic tools for the civilian population with troops stationed inside watching over workers closely.

Along the streets, some one-hundred mercenaries and resisters lay crucified to set a harsh example for the rest of the city. Though they didn't rape or loot, high was the price for resisting the Colovian Company.

To only add to the fear and paranoia, the foreign mercenaries went further and actively attacked both major and minor criminal elements. Early in the morning, some three hundred mercenaries stormed several key buildings and forced their occupants out. Amongst those targeted included the city's Thieves Guild, along with the known hideouts of several gangs.

The city inhabitants watched with pure dread as those arrested were summarily executed in the streets with the centurions publicly issuing the same threats and warnings to potential resistors. From there, the corpses were dragged into the city center and piled high, before being burnt.

/

Entering the castle, the wanderer casually strolled into the dungeon. There he spotted the exhausted form of Maia, sleeping in a cell.

"Rise and shine, my queen." He spoke mockingly. Lowering his hood and mask revealed the face of a young Nord man with a rather snow-white complexion, medium length brunette hair, and a pair of icy-blue eyes.

"Screw you..." She muttered.

"My lady, I have shown you great mercy. I have provided you with food, water, and dry clothing. Compared to your subordinates, you've been treated remarkably well." The mercenary refuted.

"Legate." Turning he found it to be the towering form of Borgakh.

"Speak." He answered.

"Our scouts report that our encampment north has been captured." The female orc reported. "Furthermore, the Dragonborn's contingent was seen within the vicinity."

"Ha! Then you know he's coming for you, and when he does, he'll tear you limb from limb." Maia laughed, a smirk coming to her face.

"Of course I'd know, I've learned so much from him. I know he has a soft spot for the pretty ones, and you're certainly _no_ exception, lass." He answered with a soft smile. "And when he does, I'll have a surprise just for him."


	14. Chapter 14

14

Into the Belly of the Beast

"Alright, three, two, one, lift!" Lewis shouted as he and three other men raised Vault up. After two failed attempts, the four lifted the injured mercenary into the wagon.

"Ha! I knew you boys could do it." Vault laughed, jokingly praising them.

After loading him up, the group parted, allowing the dark elf and knight to step forward. Placing a hand gently on his wounded leg, Olga carefully analyzed the bandages wrapped around it.

"It's a good thing the spear went clean through the tissue, no shattered bone or disrupted arteries, otherwise you would've likely died days ago. Stay off it for at least another week, by then, my magic should have healed it. Until then, change the bandages regularly, keep it clean and away from water." The dark elf informed, solemnly.

"My thanks, Olga." The sellsword thanked with a smile.

"Do have further need of me, dear lord?" The sorceress turned to her contract holder.

"If you would speak with Sergeant Bauer, I'm sure he'd have need for your skills." The black baron answered.

"Gladly, my lord." She said with a smile and nod before turning and walking off.

"It looks like you'll make a full recovery soon. Good." The knight observed, stoically.

"Seems like it, can't wait to get back at those bastards." The mercenary captain responded.

"Were you able to learn anything during your captivity?" Henry asked.

"Aside from their plan of moving south, not much. The only time I saw them or light was when that vixen of a guard came to feed me or check my bandages." Vault answered, shaking his head.

"Vixen?" The Dragonborn raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"Aye, the commander had this woman feeding me… I've seen some fine women around Eostia. But she... she was something different. She had the temper of a wolf, an ass to make a man cry, and a rack bigger than a cow's." The man explained in lewd detail to the knight's visual disgust.

Looking away from the mercenary, the knight saw Olga inside an open tent. Lying around her on bedrolls were a handful of injured soldiers she appeared to be tending to. Suddenly, the scantily-clad elf leaned over one man, giving the undead man a showing of her lightly garbed backside. Staring for a brief moment, the vampire soon felt embarrassed as the dark elf soon rose from her position and glanced over to him.

Meeting his silent gaze briefly, a smirk befell her face. She then gave a knowing wink to the knight before quickly returning to her duties.

"Speaking of racks… How's Olga?" Vault asked with a grin, seeing the knight's short but noticeable staring.

"Fine." Henry answered, quickly regaining his composure.

"Must be nice having a fine bit of tail like her on your arm..." The Black Dog pressed, seeing the undead knight's annoyance.

"I suppose so..." The knight responded grimly.

Seeing his lackadaisical response, the sellsword's grin grew even wider.

"What? You haven't actually gotten with her?" Vault questioned in surprise.

"No, she's an asset to me." Henry answered, coldly "And so are you."

Having heard enough from the hedonistic mercenary, the knight calmly walked away before his injured company could respond.

"Mount up, we make south!" He barked at his now scrambling soldiers.

/

Hours Later

Within a tent, the knight's squire enthusiastically polished the large, black shield belonging to his master. After more than an hour, the incredibly heavy shield gleamed as if it had been newly forged and buffed, incredibly strange from what he'd been told. According to Sir Henry, the enchanted shield was several thousands of years old and had once belonged to a great warrior in his world.

Suddenly, the tent flaps were pushed aside, allowing the infamous knight to enter. Ignoring his squire, the vampire quickly sat at the desk, reaching into his satchel he retrieved his leather logbook. Retrieving a quill pen from the inkwell, he began writing silently, occasionally stopping and quietly reading it back to himself.

"My lord..." Arthur spoke, hoping to gain the knight's attention.

"Yes?" The baron answered, continuing to write.

"May I ask you a question?" The young man said, gently placing the shield down before turning his attention to another piece of the knight's equipment.

"Ask, and I will listen." Henry replied.

"I mean no offense when I ask, but how did you become a knight? I thought all knights were sworn to follow the code of chivalry." The young squire asked, slightly whithering in fear of the man's response.

"Chivalry is a guiding principle to all knights, a system we were supposed to abide by. In practice, however, isn't as simple as protecting the weak, honoring women, and defending the church and royalty. When war and politics are mixed in, the lines become faded amidst the smoke and blood. When wiped out from one's eyes you see what all beings are..." The black knight answered, fascinating the boy with his power of speech.

"And what is that?" The teenager asked.

"... Animals struggling to survive. Just as the beasts we herd and those whom we hunt, they fight for survival. Some do this and only this, others go further and thrive, and many more desire more and prey upon others." His master replied.

"But the church says…" Arthur spoke back unknowingly.

"Do you see the church or any of its bishops or priests fighting on the frontlines? No. They hide within their walled cities just like most of the nobility, they drown themselves in riches and demand the youth of the world sacrifice themselves for them. It doesn't matter where they come from or what they preach, they are no less aristocratic than I or any nobleman." The vampire said, stopping his writing and turning to face his squire.

"If not chivalry, then what makes a good knight?" The young squire asked.

"Forget about being a good knight, any half-wit can call you good. Focus on what matters the most to a good man." The baron shook his head. "Survival, and the survival of those whom he cares for. To ensure survival, one must hone his body and mind."

"So it's training and family values, rather than obligations and code?" Arthur asked.

"Knights are more than social class and religious dogma. At heart, we are warriors first and foremost. On the battlefield, we are the power of our liege, the dread of our enemies, and a beacon of inspiration to those we lead." Henry continued to the squire who sat, absorbing every word he spoke.

Before the knight could continue his lecture, a dark-haired elven nymph entered the tent, interrupting the two.

"Sorry to interrupt you, my lord, but Sergeant Bauer wished to speak with you." Olga spoke with a slight bow.

"Of course, my lady." The knight nodded, rising from his seat, he quickly followed the dark elf out of the tent.

/

Stepping out from his command tent, the knight looked around his fortified camp. Running his eyes over its palisade walls, he found the combined walls of timber and earth in good shape, as ordered.

While not large, it was well organized and spaced to safely house the roughly fifty-five man retinue. Overlooking the two gates were four small platforms with enough room to accommodate one man each tower. To house his men, he'd ordered each squad to share a tent, allowing stellar management and organization amongst the small unit.

It appeared, however, most of his men's attention was diverted to a group of roughly ten visitors at the center of the camp. The women appeared hungry and exhausted, their armor in clear disrepair and stained with blood. By the symbols emblazoned on their sleeves, they were mercenaries in the employ of Maia.

Stepping forward, the knight was greeted by the familiar, but injured face of Clover, Maia's right hand.

"Greetings, my lady." The black knight greeted with a courteous nod.

"Sir Henry, I never thought I'd be happier to see anyone in my life." Clover spoke, sighing in fatigue.

"What brings you to my camp in this state?" He asked, motioning towards the mercenaries' ragged condition.

"The Colovians. They captured Ansur from us. We had nowhere else to turn, they're killing everyone against them, starting with mercs." The brunette sellsword answered grimly.

"I see… Come, let's see to those wounds."

/

"Agh! Careful!" Lucy screeched out in pain.

"Stop moving, or these wounds will reopen." Olga responded, unsympathetically.

Sitting on a stool, the dark elf slowly and methodically treated a laceration on the young mercenary's arm. After several minutes of her squirming and gruff, she sealed the cut shut.

Closeby, the other mercenaries sat, receiving treatment and food from the knight's soldiers. Meanwhile, the black baron himself personally saw to the mercenary Lieutenant, bandaging her wounds and administering medicine.

"We're looking for Lady Maia, have you seen her?" Henry asked.

"Your best bet is Ansur, there are thousands of those Colovian cunts occupying the city." Clover answered bitterly.

"So you say…" The knight thought, stroking his chin. "Make preparations, we break camp!"

/

Three Days Later

The ground thundered as the cavalry retinue rode down the rough dirt road, eyes and ears lay wide open and alert for a sudden attack. Riding in the center was the queen's marshall, a look of determination and resolve on her face. Moving swiftly, the knight's and their commander hoped to quickly make their way to the army encamped by nightfall.

Riding at full gallop on such a narrow road made the knights uneasy enough, but what they encountered next made their hearts sink.

Reaching a small clearing that crossed the road, the general's bodyguards stumbled upon the remains of fleeing mercenaries from Ansur. By the symbols emblazoned on their vests and armor, they were Black Dogs. Claudia eyed the carnage with horror and anger as she stopped and dismounted to investigate the one-sided slaughter.

Approaching a dozen corpses, the general clenched her nose in disgust from the smell of rotting innards and partially eaten flesh from passing crows. Looking over them, many lie riddled with arrows or throwing spears, indicating most died without putting up much of a fight.

"My lady, we have a survivor here!" One of her knights called out.

Rushing to the massing of knights, the marshall stared at the gravely wounded mercenary with a look of pity and sympathy.

"What happened here?" She asked.

"Ah...ahh...ah…" He coughed and sputtered, pointing at her.

Looking down, she found he appeared to be pointing at the waterskin hooked onto her belt. Instinctively, she took it off her belt before attempting to give it to the man.

"No… no… ahh…" He shook his head, knocking the waterskin aside and continuing to point at her.

"What is it?" Claudia asked, tilting her head in confusion.

"Ahhh… ah… Ambush…" The Black Dog managed to finally gasp out.

Before the knights could look back, they immediately came under attack. To her right, the knight closest to the general was struck by a throwing spear. Having lodged itself in his throat, the man quickly collapsed to the ground, gurgling and choking on his own blood. Another man was soon after struck by two arrows to the back of his exposed neck and spine, killing him instantly. Reacting to the sudden ambush, the knights quickly raised their shields, allowing the arrows and javelins to be absorbed into their defenses.

Emerging from the cover of the trees, some twenty assassins uniformly garbed in a strange leather-styled armor speedily moved to envelop the bodyguards. Looking to their faces, the general was horrified by their strange helmets and feature-hiding masks.

"We are surrounded, my lady!" One knight shouted in terror.

"Fighting retreat!" Claudia responded, drawing her sword and leading the charge.

Thinking quickly, she and her bodyguards charged the assassins to their front, as they were ones blocking access to their horses. Rushing in, she parried a sword swing before slamming the female ambusher to the ground with her shield, following through she rammed her sword through her stomach. Beside her, her now eighteen bodyguards rushed in to push their attackers back.

The knights' charge seemed to surprise the assassins as they soon backed away from their targets, ceding ground to them as they fell back to better positions. Their targets soon found out why, however, as the other ambushing cells had moved to pepper the cavalrymen from behind with missile weapons, killing numerous of them.

"Run for the horses!" Claudia ordered, blocking a close arrow with her shield.

/

"Open the gates!" The marshal ordered, arriving at the wooden gates of the fortified encampment.

After being allowed inside, the general and her bodyguards virtually fell from their horses in exhaustion as all of the remaining seven knights and one general all bore at least one injury. Rushing out to meet them, the healers and idle Eostian soldiers soon helped the wounded knights into the field hospital.

Painfully limping into her tent, Claudia sat down on a stool placed beside the map. She grunted in pain as she ran her hand along her injured leg. Though free from slashing or penetrative injury, the ankle appeared swollen and red.

"Claudia, my dear!" Klaus shouted in horror as he rushed to the aid of his wife.

Running to her, the man threw himself to his knees as he began to carefully examen the minor slashes across her cheek and arms.

"You're bleeding dear…" He spoke sadly, reaching into his pocket, he produced a handkerchief he soon used to stop the minor bleeding.

"They're mere scratches, my love." She said with a reassuring smile.

He frowned as he examined her injured ankle, but soon put on a smile in return as he rose to look into his wife's eyes.

"I'm just glad you're ok…" Klaus cried, hugging her. "I don't know what I'd do without you…"

"Me too..." Claudia spoke, returning the hug and gently rubbing his back.

/

One hour later

Riding into the camp, the goddess reincarnate was surprisingly greeted curtly by the garrisoned soldiers or outright ignored. To her concern and sadness, she found the source lie with the field hospital. Inside were the severely wounded knights of Claudia's retinue, she soon frowned when she counted them as only seven out of the original twenty sworn knights. Adding to her sadness was when she watched as a few soldiers soon covered two motionless knights in blankets.

Walking into the command tent, the queen was met by the couple sitting on the bed, arms around one another.

"Forgive me for intruding, Claudia, I didn't know this was a bad time." Celestine apologized quickly.

"No, your grace. Forgive my failures…" The marshall apologized back.

"Nonsense, I'm sure you did what you could-" The queen retorted.

"No… I don't even know what I could've done. I don't even know what to think now." Claudia rebutted, sorrowfully pushing her head into her husband's chest. "I thought I knew warfare… I was horribly wrong."

"We were only some twenty miles from this camp when we were ambushed, they knew how we fought, knew how to exploit our weaknesses and shortcomings. And now nearly all of my men are dead." She continued in shame.

"Claudia, we are at war… Just as we have been for centuries, casualties are expected." Celestine responded.

"And this is nothing like the war we've fought… They aren't orcs or imps, they aren't petty raiders with wooden clubs and spears. They're humans, just like us, and they know just how to beat us." Claudia answered. "I spoke with the commander, he's had three clashes with the mercenaries, none of them went well."

"Henry said they were once his men, he taught them, he'll know how they fight and operate. Perhaps we can use his insight to our advantage." The blond elf suggested, hopefully.

"That would be good if we knew where he was…" The general answered, facepalming. "The man's as elusive as a snake, it could take days for messengers to find him."

"All we can do then is fortify ourselves and hope, my old friend." Celestine replied, stepping forward and placing a gentle hand on Claudia's shoulder.

/

The next morning

Riding through the woods, the knight had ordered his men to maintain their spacing between one another and avoid bunching up. When asked, he'd explained it would reduce the casualties and effectiveness of a volley of missile fire. Rather than taking the roads, the knight's retinue pushed through the forest, accepting the slower speed of travel than accept the risks of traveling in the open so close to Ansur.

After some time, they reached the top of a hill. After choosing a spot well covered by treeline, the knight looked out to spot the major sights in the surrounding area.

To his east was the occupied city of Ansur, some ten miles away. Meanwhile, to the west, some twenty miles lie a large Eostian army encampment.

Looking over their position, the knight furrowed at the mediocre defenses laid by the defenders. A simple palisade and a handful of watchtowers gave a basic, but sound defensive line. That was it, however, the outlying field appeared largely clear of obstacles, and could've easily supported defensive moats to delay attackers, as well as anti-personnel traps such as wooden stakes or caltrops for cavalry.

Looking over to Ansur, the city was noticeably damaged from the siege. Despite this, the defenses were solid and would provide a substantial challenge to the expected recovery siege. Just like all other cities, the walls were crenelated and provided with built-in machicolations, providing cover and a full range of fire to the defenders atop the walls. The battlements were well maintained and had even been reinforced with anti-personnel scorpions. Unlike the Eostian's camp, a wide moat had been dug, allowing only direct entry via the main gate. He frowned, concluding that he'd trained the legion well, too well.

"So what's the grand plan, dear lord?" Olga asked, poking her head over his shoulder. "Will we sneak in, as we did with Feoh?"

"No, my lady." The knight shook his head. "Step off my horse, you'll ride with Lucy's mercenaries for now."

"What are you going to do, my lord?" Sergeant Bauer asked, confused.

"Bauer, I'm promoting you to Lieutenant. You can celebrate later, right now your duty is to take the retinue to the Eostian camp west. There you will be under the temporary command of General Levantine as my representative. Advise her into reinforcing the camp, I want to see moats dug, earthworks built, and the recruits trained." The knight ordered.

"Aye lord." Bauer nodded.

"What are we doing, my lord?" Arthur asked, pulling his horse to address his master.

"You are to ride with Lieutenant Bauer and the others, I'm to do this alone." Henry answered.

/

Riding forward at full gallop, the knight rode through the outlying wheat fields. There, the laborers and farmers looked over the man in confusion as he rode alone. Reaching the front gates of Ansur, two legionnaires stepped forward to challenge him, swords drawn. Looking up to the wall, he spotted another four guards, javelins in hand.

Stepping down from the horse, he raised his hands in surrender as two more legionnaires moved to surround him.

"Take me to the legate." He requested.

The four soldiers looked to each other before deciding quickly, parting slightly, and granting him his request.

"Raise the gate!" The leading legionnaire ordered to one of the sentries atop the walls.

Immediately after, the portcullis was raised, allowing the group of five to proceed into the gatehouse. Looking to his left and right, the knight smiled slightly as he noted the Colovians manning the arrow loops. Looking up, he noted the men above manned the murder holes, buckets of rocks, boiling water, and hot sand at the ready.

Walking through the second portcullis, the knight finally reached the city. There he wasn't surprised to see even more foreign mercenary troops awaiting him. Formed for battle, the one hundred man century blocked one of the two paths branching off from the road, allowing him to use only one.

Strolling down the city streets, eyes widened from citizens as they witnessed the group pass by silently. To ensure no interference or attempts at sabotage, the foreigners massed for crowd control by blocking the crowds from accessing the road.

Looking to his left and right, the knight grimaced as he laid his eyes upon the captured mercenaries crucified along the sides of the street. Weak and whithered, all looked as if they would die slowly simply from their exposure to the elements and lack of drinking water, just as he'd learned and taught. Passing the industrial district, he looked over the many laborers forced into producing steel and various goods for the company. From their vests and emblazoned leather armor, he found them to be captured Black Dogs. He grit his teeth as he watched two guards haul a scrawny man from the line and onto his knees. The two men then ripped his dirty leather vest apart, revealing metal scraps and tools concealed underneath.

"Please! Spare me, please sir! They forced me to do it!" He begged to the two Colovians.

His pleas fell upon deaf ears, however, and one of the men responded with a hard kick to the back of his head, knocking him to the ground.

"Nooo… Please…" He gasped out, reaching up to one man.

Cold, unforgiving eyes beamed down at the man as the two legionnaires silently readied themselves.

Soon the man was struck across the face with a kick that knocked out teeth and forced him to spit out blood. This was followed up with a barrage of punches and kicks onto the thief who could only bare to lay there and cry out, begging for someone to help him.

Without stopping, the knight continued to watch as the mercenary was violently beaten to death, the laborers beside him only continuing to work in silence.

Walking through another district, the captured vampire found him, and his guards stumble into a residential neighborhood. Unlike the market and industrial districts, the area seemed practically devoid of activity. Looking closer, he found the residents closely watching the soldiers from behind windows. He soon found out why this was.

Rounding another corner, he happened across a century of one hundred Colovians stacked up on a house's front door. At the pat of a shoulder, the leading man kicked in the door before a squad quickly rushed in. Screams and pleas for mercy emanated from inside the house, followed by the clashing of blades and cries of pain. Soon after, a single man ran out the front door, attempting to escape the slaughter. After taking roughly ten steps, however, he was hit in the back with a throwing spear that knocked him to the ground. Emerging from the doorway was the centurion, looking to his blackened skin, the knight surmised him to be a Redguard.

Seeing his target, the centurion casually strolled over the young man who attempted to drag himself away. Reaching him, the Redguard calmly drew his Spatha.

"Hope ya choke on Tharn's gold, foreign faggot!" The injured man taunted, defiantly.

After letting the man have the first and only word, the centurion stabbed the man through his mouth with the blade reaching the back of his head.

Continuing on, the knight finally reached the castle walls.

Unlike the scale and grandeur of the Arcturus family estate, let alone the royal palace, Maia's personal residence was comparatively modest. The castle itself appeared far older than the outer walls surrounding the rest of the city, as evidenced by the older construction styles being similar to those he saw in Skyrim. The walls lacked crenelations and machicolations and instead relied on wooden hoardings to provide cover and a wider field of fire to the defenders. The castle stonework appeared older with minor signs of disrepair.

Walking into the courtyard, he was greeted by a handful of laborers, this time those formerly under Maia's employ acting as gardeners and repairwomen. Seeing him, many shot him silent glares of confusion and few even of hope.

Proceeding into the castle, the knight was escorted soon escorted into a dining room. Sitting at one side was Maia, exhausted, and thoroughly beaten. To his surprise, she appeared to be treated rather well and was apparently groomed for some event. Her skin and hair appeared smooth and freshly washed, a golden amulet and earings lined her neck and ears respectively, and an expensive scarlet dress had replaced her leotard. Her amber eyes snapped to him in pure shock before her sad frown turned to an excited smile. Immediately, she sprung to her feet before running to embrace the black baron.

"Henry! I never thought I'd be happier to see your undead mug!" She joked with him, hugging onto him.

Rather than respond, the knight looked around to see the legionnaires had strangely backed off and instead took positions at the corners of the room.

"I see you've finally come." A Nordic voice spoke from beyond a side door.

Entering the room was the sturdy form of a young man clad in bronze scale armor, a matching bronze mask covering his face. Seeing him, Maia's eyes lit up in pure vilification.

"It's so good to see you again… father." He spoke, earning a wide-eyed glare from Maia.

"Likewise, my son." Henry finally answered.

"That pompous prick is your son?" The redheaded sellsword asked aloud, earning a chuckle from the legate.

"Yes and proud of it, as all of his legionnaires are. This company isn't just a group of cutthroats, my lady, its a family. He is our father, and we are his sons and daughters. We abandon our birth blood and adopt the one we spill together." The commander answered.

The commander then reached up and removed his helmet and casually dropped it to the floor. Beneath was the grinning face of a young Nord man with creamy white skin and medium length brunette hair.

"I see you've kept my creed and my heavy-handedness, Hadvar." The black knight observed.

"Of course, I learned from the best." The Nord smiled, nodding. "You drilled us when others couldn't be bothered, the one who led from the front, and the one who freed me and many others from that Stormcloak prison camp. Without you, I wouldn't be here."

"I'm not that man who freed you those years ago, my son." The Breton lowered his head in shame.

"No, you're not and neither am I the whimpering boy you saved. We're something different, we fight to survive, and yet we go back to war, again and again." Hadvar furrowed his eyebrows.

"When we fight wars, things become simple. You don't focus on the troubles of daily life or any of that shit. " The knight frowned.

"You focus on surviving and ensuring those around you survive." The Nord continued where his mentor left off.

"And right now, I have to ensure my lady survives." The knight grit his teeth in sadness, looking to Maia, he firmly grasped her hand, protectively.

"Of course, you do…" Hadvar answered, reaching for his belt.

Before the knight could draw his sword, the Nordic Legate through a small glass ball at the knight. Shattering against his Ebony breastplate, a strong vapor was sent into the vampire's nose and mouth.

His lungs tightening and bleeding internally revealed to him the vapor was the smell of silver dust. Soon his body and armor felt heavier, and he was soon struggling to remain standing.

"Henry?!" Maia shouted in surprise as she struggled to keep him on his feet.

Despite her best efforts, the knight collapsed to the floor, unconscious. Soon Hadvar and the four legionnaires approached him cautiously.

"Sweet dreams, father."


	15. Chapter 15

15

Desperation

Eostian Army Camp

Under the blazing sun, the one hundred man levy was hard at work. Along with a several hundred man work crew, they had been tasked with reinforcing the camp's defenses. Carrying the words of advice from the dark baron himself, they had spent the day digging a deep moat around the camp and filling them with wooden stakes.

Within the walls of the camp, the overhaul process continued with the construction of wooden platforms for the palisade walls. This would allow for the positioning of archers to easily rain fire down upon an attacking force. At the mustering grounds, Lieutenant Bauer and the veterans drilled the new recruits incessantly.

As instructed, Bauer separated the training into two phases. Weapon handling, taught by Clover and the few of Maia's loyal mercenaries, and unit tactics and cohesion, taught by Bauer and the twenty-man veteran corps.

"Raise that shield higher!" One of the lord's veterans shouted at a raw recruit.

Standing in formation, the fifty recruits formed up into a shield wall with their round shields. Wielding their spears, the first row slammed the straw targets with their shields before thrusting their spears at the lower section of the target.

At another part of the camp, a large assembly line of soldiers was busy casting and assembling bronze weapons. Overseeing the process was Luu-Luu and a group of halfling smiths who carefully monitored each man and woman's work, making corrections where needed.

With a focused glare, the halfling noblewoman conversed with the assigned weapon quartermaster.

"How many so far?" She asked.

"Thirty-five short swords as of this morning, by the end of the day I'd predict another twenty." The supply officer answered.

"Make it forty, we'll need every weapon we can get our hands on!" Luu-Luu insisted.

/

"How goes the progress?" Celestine asked from within the command tent.

"Steadily, the defenses continue to be strengthened. While Sir Henry's methods and ideals may be... unsettling, to say the least. His suggestions and retinue are a welcome boost to the already low morale of the camp." Claudia answered, reading over a scroll.

Standing at the battlefield map, she had kept meticulous notes regarding gathered intelligence and known enemy positions and recorded clashes.

"While the camp is being fortified and our enemy seems to be acting cautiously, the recorded numbers are what truly has me concerned." Claudia frowned. "According to the mercenaries we've recovered, there are several thousands of Colovians garrisoned within the walls."

"And what of our numbers?" Celestine asked, almost emotionlessly.

"Combined with the mercenaries we've freed, we have approximately four thousand battle-ready." The general answered.

"What of Vault's reinforcements?"

"He rushed back west to siphon as many Black Dogs as he can from his reserves and garrisoned men. It seems the battle for Ansur and ambush near Elerdah has practically depleted his manpower. I'd imagine at most, he could muster about another two thousand."

"What about our western flank? How have they fared with the sudden diversion of troops?" Celestine asked further.

"Poorly, I'm afraid, while not as devastating as our eastern flank, these reports include considerable casualties from orcish raiding. Thankfully, Lady Alicia has recovered and has taken overall command of our western posts."

"... And… What of Sir Henry?" Celestine asked with some hesitation.

"It appears he's been taken captive within Ansur…" Her general answered, tightening her hand into a fist.

Sighing, the queen calmly walked to a small table in the corner of the tent, there was a pile of belongings left behind by the last Dragonborn. Amongst them, the Elder Scroll he'd been attempting to read.

"Then may the fates favor our black knight…" Celestine spoke, running a hand atop the magical artifact.

"Alarm! Incoming raiding party!" A sentry outside the tent shouted.

/

Waking up, the knight rubbed his eyes groggily as his eyes readjusted to the rather dark surroundings. His head ached and throbbed as the essence of silver remained trapped within his lungs. Scraping some specks off his armor, he soon determined the toxic metal had likely been chemically modified, enhancing its dampening effects to his abilities. Though, it appeared its modifications had also reduced its lethality, otherwise the vampire would've likely been dead ten times over.

"Silver dust, coated with a paralysis-inducing poison… How clever of you Hadvar." Henry spoke to himself as he attempting to rid himself of as much of the metal dust as possible.

After a few minutes of clearing his armor of the poisonous dust, he looked around to survey his surroundings. With his eyes soon adjusting, he found himself within some sort of underground cavern. Some twenty paces ahead stood a large and imposing dungeon, the old and cracked stonework reminded him of the Nordic ruins of Skyrim, dark, dingy, and deadly.

Rising to his feet he felt his armor unnaturally heavier and his muscles weaker, a further reminder of his former pupil's sabotage.

"Another dungeon to clear."

Walking past the threshold sparked a loud contraption, and soon something loud and heavy came crashing down behind him. Calmly turning his head, he found it to be a large portcullis that now blocked off the cave behind him. Grimacing, he placed a hand on the grip of his sword as he continued at his cautious pace.

Expecting a fight, he was on edge after finding the massive dungeon to be eerily silent and devoid of any lifeforms. Furthermore, after proceeding a mere thirty paces, he felt the room become darker and more difficult to see further ahead. A minor headache soon revealed his enhanced eyesight to be one of the unfortunate casualties from Hadvar's underhanded tactic. This was soon furthered by sniffing the air around him. To his surprise, he found his acute sense of smell to also have been dampened by the harsh smell of silver still trapped within his nostrils.

The clinking of bones and the smell of rotting flesh alerted him to a group of approaching undead. Spotting the group of six, he opened his mouth, to his shock and anger, however, the muscles within his throat felt inflamed and sore. Attempting to generate saliva proved difficult, as it felt he had swallowed a bucket of burning sand whole. It appeared the poison had even further effects on his body than he'd anticipated.

"No dragon shouts…" He grumbled to himself as he drew his sword. "A pity."

Feeling too weak to maneuver as quickly as he preferred, Henry chose to utilize brute force. Rather than avoiding attacks, he decided to strike preemptively to take advantage of the enemy's lack of tactics and cohesion. Charging headfirst, he stabbed the closest enemy through the chest before grabbing the undead warrior by his rusted armor, pulling the corpse in front of him, he continued to press forward. When another charged, he utilized the fallen dragur like a human shield, weathering a mace swing with the former soldier's exposed skull.

Pushing forward, he stabbed the mace-wielding dragur through the skull before tossing the corpse aside. Too slow to dodge, he felt a pickaxe punch through his breastplate and into his side.

Howling in pain, the weakened vampire grabbed the orc by its neck, before lifting it off the ground. Before he could do anything else, however, another greenskin surged forward and kicked the pickaxe, embedding its blade deeper in the knight's body and forced him to drop the orc.

Enraged, the knight snapped at his attacker like a wild dog. Grasping his sword, he parried an axe swing from his new opponent. Then, using the momentum gained from deflecting the strike, he slashed the goblin across the throat before finishing him off with a swift decapitation. He then yanked the pickaxe out from his punctured breastplate before punching it into a nearby wall.

No sooner he does this, does the orc charge him once more. Placing his rough hands on the Nightingale Blade, the two soon engaged in a fierce grapple for the sword. Under the effects of the poisoned silver, the knight felt his strength severely crippled. As a result, the orc was able to slowly overpower the weakened vampire. Taking a step backward, the two tripped over a loose cobble on the floor.

Now on the ground, the hand-to-hand combat grew even more vicious as the orc managed to wrestle the sword from the knight's grasp. Placing one hand on his now-helmetless face, he attempted to create enough room to finish off the knight with his own blade.

"Don't worry, bloodsucker. I'll take good care of the mercenary queen…" The brawny greenskin gloated.

In response, the vampire pulled the orc's dirty hand into his mouth before biting into the rough green flesh. The orc screeched out in pain as he felt fingers being bitten off by the fearsome knight. Spitting out the severed fingers, the grabbed onto the greenskin's clothes before pulling him in further. He then leaned in and savagely tore into his throat. Rather than immediately drinking the blood, however, he pulled back and watched as a mist of blood sprayed out onto his face.

Spitting out the torn flesh, he attempted to drink from the fountain of blood, only to find it too harsh and sour, and as such his body refused to digest it when swallowed. Dropping the sword to the ground, the orc weakly attempted to raise his hands to the gaping wound to slow the bleeding. After several seconds, however, his heart stopped beating and he collapsed beside the knight.

Rising to his feet, the vampire took back his sword before slowly stumbling on forward.

"I'm coming Maia." He managed to grumble out.

/

Elsewhere

Within a cell, Maia sat at a bench, patiently. Hearing a pattering of feet, she calmly rose to her feet before proceeding to the cell door. Greeting her was one of her mercenaries, now a servant employed by the occupying Colovians. Without words, the woman handed Maia a small loaf of bread and a cup of water. Watching the exchange carefully was a Colovian Company trooper who kept a firm gaze on the servant and one hand on his sword.

"You're done here." He ordered, grabbing the woman by her arm before pulling her away from the cell door and out of the jail.

Before leaving, the mercenary shot a subtle wink at Maia who only nodded in response.

Once she was alone, Maia quickly dropped the water before grasping the bread with both hands. She then immediately tore the loaf in half, allowing a small brass tool to fall into one of her waiting hands.

With the lockpick in hand, she looked to a small metal hatch underneath the cot set for her. Throwing the bed aside, she quickly went to work picking the lock.

"Quite resourceful aren't you?" A gruff voice spoke.

Feeling her heart stop, the sellsword dropped the lockpick on the floor. Slowly turning around, she was greeted by a towering trooper standing at the door. The mercenary stood at a solid six feet, two inches, her muscles practically double the size of Maia's. To top it, a heartstopping bosom sat atop her chest, a large rear adorned her muscled legs. Despite her interest in men, the sellsword couldn't help but leer over the massive guard's form.

"Well you're a whole lot of woman…" The redhead commented as she was forced to look up at the guard in awe.

"So I'm told... I see you're the one Legate Morell has come for." Borgakh answered unfazed by the prisoner's staring.

"Sir Henry?" She asked, tilting her head in confusion.

"Yes. Quite loyal to those whom he pledges himself to, that one. At first, I couldn't see the appeal, but now… I can see why he pursues you." The orc answered, casting a glance over the elegantly garbed Princess Knight.

"What do you mean?"

"Beneath these bodies that force men to kneel and slobber, there is a strength many of these pitiful excuses for women lack. You fight for what you want, even when you don't know what that is…" Borgakh explained.

"Which is?" Maia raised an eyebrow in skepticism.

"Vault. You saw strength, charisma, and passion. You longed for his touch…" The orcish maiden continued. "Even when he sees us only as one thing… entertainment."

"What are you talking about?! You don't know anything about us!" Maia argued in defiance.

"I spent my youth in a tribe where only three things were valued, strength, fertility, and honesty." The trooper shook her head. "I was raised being told I'd be married to another chieftain the moment I came of age."

Reaching up, the orcish mercenary removed her helmet, before placing it under one arm. She then loosened her aventail, allowing the imprisoned mercenary to view her green flesh and exposed tusks.

"Much of my life, I spent under the leering eyes of man. Me, the sole child of a proud and powerful chieftain, reduced to little more than another man's property. Even to my own family." She rebutted, grimly.

"But he was different. Unlike any knight, I'd fought before. Skilled and cunning, but truly kind-hearted and protective… After besting me, he offered me a place by his side. " The orc continued. "He made me feel wanted. He gave me a home and family that truly cared for me."

"Touching, but why tell me this?" Maia questioned.

"So you can understand just how much he means to me and every Colovian serving." Borgakh reached behind her. "He'll fight for you until the bitter end. Remember that."

Pulling her hands in front of her revealed Maia's confiscated short swords. She then casually tossed them through the bars before the captured mercenary.

"Go. Return to him."

/

Spitting out blood, the knight gripped his side in pain. Looking down to his armor, he found the breastplate punctured along the ribcage, blood slowly seeped out in between and over fingers. Reaching down to his belt, he was angered to find his waterskin damaged, and all of the blood stored within drained.

Suddenly, a low whisper snaked into his ears. Turning, however, revealed no visible source amidst the darkness.

Blinking, he decided to continue further into the dungeon's dark depths, where the voice seemed to grow louder.

"If your here to fight, stop skulking about." He ordered. Exiting his mouth, he heard as his voice echoed off into the distance.

Movement before him prompted him to raise his blade over his shoulder in a guard position. He soon grimaced as he found his new opponent to raise his own over his shoulder, copying his move. Attempting to find favorable ground to engage his foe, the black knight began to slowly and cautiously move to his right. Parroting his movements, the shadowy figure immediately countered by moving further to the Breton knight's left. Looking to the challenger's feet, the knight found them to be cautiously placed and firmly braced in a defensive manner, showcasing the man's skill.

Seeing if he could feel out his clearly skilled opponent, Henry abruptly switched guard positions from a higher angle to a lower one. To his interest, the dark figure quickly lowered his blade as if he anticipated the knight's move. Hoping he could goad him into attacking prematurely, Henry stomped a foot forward in a faint, only to find his challenger holding his ground with seemingly no reaction to the scare tactic.

The challenger soon slowly advanced into the light, revealing his gleaming silver-like chainmail.

Looking to the colors dyed onto his surcoat, the knight felt his shoulders and hands tighten in recognition.

"You…" Henry growled.

Upon the challenger's surcoat, the coat of arms of a white swan sat surrounded by a sea of light turquoise. In his hands, a gleaming sword with a gold circular pommel with a fiery blade sat poised to burn the vampire.

"I buried you long ago, Henry." He spoke.

"No… you gave me up, long ago." His doppelganger answered, slowly advancing.

Spotting the mirror throwing a low cut, Henry attempted to match his move, only to be jabbed over a section of chainmail over his armpit. The jab proved harsh as the blade not only pierced the chainmail but also the padding beneath and lightly stabbing into the flesh. The vampire stumbled backward as he felt the skin sear from the fire enchantment.

Pressing the attack, the reflection charged forward, before launching another feint, this time aimed at the chainmail covering his upper quad. The vampire raised his leg, allowing the blade to bounce off the ebony plate harmlessly. In retaliation, he raised his blade before striking the doppelganger's helmet with the pommel of his sword.

Though temporarily fazed, the blue knight quickly regained his composure and charged once more.

/

Now within the underground tunnel system, Maia cautiously inched her way forward towards the sound of talking. Slipping behind a pillar, she looked out to see a heavy fog obstructing her line of sight.

"Damn sorcerers…" She muttered.

Placing one hand on the wall, she clawed her way through the eerily silent hallway. As she couldn't see ahead of her, she had no choice but to inch her way forward.

Suddenly, a loud clang of metal rang through her ears, followed by shouting. Attempting to find the source of the noise proved futile as the corridor soon branched off into three separate corridors.

"Fuck…" She groaned.

/

Expecting a high jab, Henry brought his sword blade up to his chest. Instead, his doppelganger feined the jab before slashing the prime across the lower abdomen. Howling in pain, the Breton stumbled back from the incinerating wound.

"You gave up our honor." The mirror spoke disapprovingly.

Charging him, the duplicate knight threw a lower cut, only to be blocked by the undead knight who knocked the blade aside before quickly raising the sword once more. Then using the momentum provided, slashed the copy across the chest, opening his mail, and revealing white, ectoplasm-like blood.

To his shock, the black knight watched in horror as the duplicate's wounds quickly closed itself. Recovering quickly, the mirror drew his blade back before charging once more.

Reaching each other, the blades, dark and light, crossed with a loud crash of metal.

/

Rounding another corner, Maia was dripping in sweat from sprinting without stop. To her frustration, however, it appeared the tunnel went even further.

Before she could go any further, two goblins emerged from the fog. Wielding short spears and rough shields, they soon charged the mercenary.

/

Lunging forward, the mirror knight went for a high thrust to his undead counterpart. Catching his shoulder, it punctured the dark set of rings before tearing into the muscle bellow. The vampire grunted aloud in pain as the flesh beneath bled and burned simultaneously.

"You dishonor our father's name and legacy."

Spitting blood onto his foe's helm, the helmetless Dragonborn abandoned his guard position. Surging forward, he abandoned his sword before wrestling the duplicate over his blade.

/

Charging the goblins, Maia deftly dodged a spear thrust before swiftly decapitating the small beast. Turning to his ally, she blocked a thrust aimed at her back before using the second sword to impale the greenskin through the mouth.

Hearing another pained screech echo through the air, she quickly retracted her swords before running as fast as the dress would allow her.

/

Struck across the jaw with the crossguard of Dawnbreaker, the vampire spat out blood and a tooth. Seeing the blade coming for his head, he raised his gauntlets in defense. But rather than strike his armored hands, the doppelganger changed directions and promptly slashed the knight across his left cheek.

"You abandoned our humanity."

In one last bid, the undead Dragonborn grabbed back onto the doppelganger's blade. In quick response, the copy kicked out his knees, knocking him to the ground.

Rolling to his stomach, he attempted to reach for his fallen sword. A chainmail-clad hand roughly grabbed onto his hair before yanking him away from the deadly blade. The duplicate then dragged he prime before a small puddle of water.

"Just look at yourself, Henry." He said, grabbing the vampire's jaw and forcing him to look upon himself.

Starved, the wounded Breton's skin appeared grey and gaunt. His eyes, bloodshot, his pupils a combination of bright red and yellow. A downwards laceration atop his forehead allowed blood to drip down his nose and lips before sprinkling down from his chin.

"Your just the monster we promised Serana we wouldn't be."

Hearing his lost love's name, the knight broke internally. Tears welled at the corners of his eyes, before gently cascading down his cheeks. As one stream moved over the cut on his cheek, the vampire felt the liquid burn as the blood and tears crossed paths.

"Your right… I am a monster. I defaced the great name of our house. I have stained my name and hands with the blood of innocents. I deserve death." Henry answered.

He soon heard as the doppelganger raise his sword back for a downwards slash. Closing his eyes in acceptance, the knight sat on his knees and placed his hands on the ground, ending his resistance.

"Forgive me, my lady, for I have failed you." Henry spoke, reaching for his belt.

Seeing the bright, golden blade come down upon him, he suddenly turned around. Reaching up, he grabbed the reflection's wrist, stopping the sword strike. Then with his off-hand, he stabbed the duplicate through the heart with his silver dagger.

Ended by the silver weapon, the blue knight soon began to melt before the eyes of the undead knight. The Breton watched in disgust as he watched the doppelganger melted into a pile of white ectoplasm.

Sighing in exhaustion, the black knight collapsed against the wall.

In an attempt to stem the bleeding, he placed his hands over his open wounds along his torso. His whole body soon began to go numb and his vision began to blur. All sounds around him ceased, all except for his faint heartbeat. He soon felt cold from the loss of blood, the only thing keeping him warm was the blood coating his hands.

Looking to his left, he spotted the elegant form of Maia rushing up to him. Crouching down to him, she attempted to speak with him, only for him to stare at her in astonishment.

"Maia…" He muttered.

/

Reaching down to his belt, the mercenary cursed as she found his bloodskin punctured and empty from the fighting. Tearing off parts of her dress, she used the scraps as makeshift bandages. Looking over his numerous injuries, she knew that even if she could stop the bleeding, he would be too weak to move on his own. Seeing his dagger closeby, she knew what she had to do in order to save the black knight.


	16. Chapter 16

16

Devotion

Stirring in his sleep, Henry awoke to find himself laying within an unfamiliar bed. Instinctively looking down, he was shocked to see the numerous injuries that once sported his torso to have completely vanished. Instead, his chest appeared perfect and undamaged, almost as if he'd never been wounded. In fact, his damaged Ebony Mail was completely gone, and he instead lay completely naked.

Rising, he looked over to see a mirror directly facing him. Squinting, he was astonished to see himself alive once more. His face gleaming with life and color, his eyes as blue as the sea, his hair free of blood and grime. He couldn't help but run a hand over his jawline, feeling the perfectly shaved facial hair. Attempting to get a closer look, he tried rising to his feet, only for a pair of immaculately groomed hands to land on his shoulders.

"Going somewhere, handsome?" A sweet, sultry voice ran across his ears like honey.

Before he could react, the hands suddenly pulled him back into the bed with the strength of a bear. Landing on his back, the nude form of a beautiful Nordic woman gently cascaded herself atop his chest. Staring up at her, Henry found his ocean blue eyes evaporating before the vampire maiden's ruby red ones.

"Serana..." His eyes widened in recognition.

"Good morning to you too~" She spoke as she pulled him in for a kiss.

Wrapping her hands around his neck and head, the kiss proved deep and sensual. Soon relaxing, he slipped one hand around her back while another reached lower and grabbed her ass.

"Getting frisky this early? Mhm, you naughty boy~" Serana moaned, breaking the kiss.

"And you love it~" Henry flirted back, grinning.

The raven-haired seductress giggled as the knight resumed the kiss. Sitting up, he slipped his arms beneath her, before picking her up effortlessly.

/

Within an underground spring, the lovers bathed while sprinkling in kisses and suggestive "washing techniques" on one another. Despite the joy the knight showed, his mood suddenly soured.

"What's wrong?" Serana asked as she poured water over his back.

"I… I don't know, I just feel as uneasy is all." Henry answered. "Perhaps, I'll speak with Aela or Vilkas to see if they have need of me."

"Why do you insist on risking your life every chance you get, darling?" She said, giving the knight a serious look.

"It's my destiny, love. Just as the scrolls foretold, I would save this world, and I have to remain ready to do so once more." Henry spoke back passionately.

"You've already saved this world, three times over. Saved who knows how many lives, mine included." Serana argued firmly. "You have to look past what others want from you, and decide just what it is that _you_ want."

"You… You're right, I'm sorry dear. I really shouldn't be making you worry, when you've been through so much..." The Breton apologized, lowering his head forward in shame.

"And I wouldn't have been able to get through most of that without you." The vampire said, taking hold of his chin before raising his head to face her.

Then, with one hand, the vampire led his hands onto her stomach.

"And I certainly wouldn't have what I have now, without you." She said, putting a smile onto the knight's face.

Taking back control of one of his hands, Henry reached up to Serana's face. She smiled as she allowed him to run his hands along her cheeks, one of her hands reaching up to take his. Losing himself in her royal eyes, he felt his heart flutter, his skin become hotter, and the sound of the rushing water begin to die out. He soon began to unknowingly lean forward, to which she did the same. Closer and closer, the silk-like lips began to encroach into his personal space.

"Mama!? Papa!?" A youthful voice called out, interrupting the two.

/

Within a sizable kitchen, the knight stood before a large wooden table. Now garbed in an expensive white cloth shirt and tight breeches, he quietly diced vegetables. With his wife's encouragement, he had soon relaxed and found enjoyment in his role in preparing breakfast. Beneath his hands and knife sat a handful of sliced carrots and closeby a few potatoes, and onions.

"How are the vegetables? I never got a chance to check them until now." The vampire maiden asked, slipping herself behind the knight.

"Fresh and crisp, just the way I like them." Henry answered, happily.

"When you said Carlotta sourced the best produce in Skyrim, I thought you were high on skooma." Serana joked from behind him. "But now… I don't think I can go back to just what _you_ feed me."

Grinning, the knight placed the knife down onto the table before turning to face his wife's back. Closeby, she stood before a large put suspended over a firepit. He blushed slightly as his eyes ran over her backside as she leaned over to insert ingredients and stir the contents.

"Does that mean, you don't enjoy my treats?" He asked, flirtingly as he embraced her from behind, slipping his hands around her stomach.

"Not at all, you always make it fun~" She flirted back, opening her mouth slightly, she bore her fangs to him in a playful manner.

"I can make it fun for you, later~" He whispered, poking his head over her shoulder. He then teased her by licking and kissing her neck.

Going further, he began firmly running his hands up and down her sides, earning a few chilled moans from his wife.

Suddenly, the room around them began to shake slightly, as if the surrounding area was being subjected to an earthquake.

"What was that?" Henry asked, stopping his sensual movements to turn his head and survey the shaking room.

"Enguard!" A young voice shouted in a frenzy as a wooden object struck the wall outside.

"Haha! Perhaps, the shining knight should see to his page~" Serana joked to a chuckling husband.

/

Within a fog covered castle courtyard, a young boy stood before a practice dummy. A wooden longsword in hand, the child smacked the target haphazardly. With little idea or care for form or technique, the blade bounced and slipped off the target with little damage inflicted. Despite his lack of skill, the boy didn't seem to care.

"Take this fiend! You won't stand in my way from rescuing the princess!" The lad shouted at the straw dummy as he swung the two-handed sword like a massive club.

Mustering all the strength his small frame could support, he threw a spinning slash that toppled the target. With his imaginary foe defeated, the boy stood triumphantly over the dummy.

"All hail Sir Edwin! Champion of the Divines!" The young boy cheered, raising his wooden sword over his head.

"Not even a squire and he's already claiming heads and hearts." An accented voice said from behind him.

Turning around, the boy was greeted by the tall and imposing figure of his father, emerging from the doorway, the strapping knight bore an amused grin.

"Father! I was… Playing. I'm sorry." The boy quickly apologized, pulling the target to its feet.

Stepping out from the doorway, the knight was surprised to find a soft squish beneath his feet. Looking down, he found animal feces covering the bottom of his boot. Friendly barking from nearby prompted the knight to look over to see the smiling face of a dog lying in the shade. Sighing, the smile on Henry's face dropped.

"Edwin, when I said you could have a dog, I told you, with pets come~"

"With pets come responsibilities, I know Pa. I'm sorry…" Edwin frowned, lowering his head in shame.

Seeing his son's frown, the knight's expression softened to that of a small smile. Kneeling down to the boy, the knight placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Sometimes, sorry isn't enough Edwin. As a knight, you'll have responsibilities to keep. People will depend on you to protect them." Henry lectured.

"I know Pa…" The child answered. "Does this mean I can't be a knight then?"

"Of course not, when I look into your eyes, I see the same ferocity and determination my father taught me when I was your age." The knight said taking hold of the young Edwin's hands. Rotating his hands, he looked over the boy's death grip on the practice blade. "Though, it seems we have to work on your swordsmanship, starting with your grip… If you truly intend on achieving knighthood."

"Really?! You're actually going to train me, Pa?!" Edwin asked, his magenta eyes sparkling with excitement.

"Shhh! Pipe down before-" Henry spoke, attempting to shush his son.

"Your mother hears?" Serana spoke, emerging from the doorway behind them. "Edwin go eat your breakfast, Erandur will be here soon for your lessons."

"Yes, Ma!" Edwin nodded, placing the wooden practice sword atop a table before quickly running inside.

"Already planning on making a hero out of my boy?" Serana asked.

Rather than answering the question, the knight only smirked.

"Wuld!" He belted out.

Speeding forward within the blink of an eye, the knight scooped up the vampiric baroness in his arms.

"Now, where were we?" He asked.

Looking into each other's eyes, they soon found themselves drawn in with a long kiss. Without a word, the knight then carried his lover back inside.

/

Reentering their personal chamber, the couple continued their display of affection. Placing her on the bed, the knight soon mounted her as their kissing became more animalistic and ferocious. To further their lovemaking, Serana licked at his lips, prompting him to open his mouth. The two then engaged in a duel of dominance between their tongues.

Reaching up, the ancient vampire ran her satin-like hands through the Breton's mane of hair in long strokes. In response, the knight gently but firmly massaged her sides, earning him numerous hushed moans. Snaking a hand up her torso, it soon found itself just bellow her garbed, though clearly apparent bosom. Looking back up to her for permission, the knight found his lover sweating and gasping for breath.

"Go on, claim your reward Dragonborn…" She whispered into his ear, submissively.

Hearing this, something within the blue knight snapped. Reaching up to a small seam around her breasts, he quickly tore open the material, revealing her well-developed body. Placing a hand on one of her gelatinous breasts, the vampire moaned in pure bliss as he began to massage the mound of flesh.

To silence her, he captured her lips with another kiss. Feeling their body heat continuing to skyrocket, the couple found themselves soon losing to their most primal urges...

/

Lying awake in bed, the knight turned to find his beloved soundly asleep. Rising from his bed, quietly, he grabbed his discarded trousers before redressing and silently exiting into the hall. Finding the railing, he looked over to see an all-too-familiar dark elf sitting before his son at the dining table. Garbed in orange robes, the Dunmer pointed out numerous symbols atop a parchment. Following closely behind, the half-human boy wrote down a set of symbols on a blank parchment.

Intrigued, the knight watched as Erandur carefully read over the young child's notes. Finishing, a proud smile appeared on the old Dunmer's face. Raising a hand to the child, he patted the boy's shoulder in praise.

Continuing to watch, the knight smiled as he watched the elven healer attempt to teach the young boy a spell. Clasping his hands together, the boy watched in pure awe as a yellow orb emerged within the Dunmer's palms as he opened his hands.

Leaving his son in the watchful care of his close friend, the Dragonborn walked back into his chamber. Taking a seat on the edge of his bed, the knight looked over to see his wife still fast asleep. Listening further, he felt the world around him suddenly grow quiet as he focused on her gentle heartbeat. Looking her body up and down, he felt his face briefly flush red as he leered over her.

Embarrassed, he quickly looked away. Standing up, he looked over to another door.

/

Exiting onto the balcony, the knight felt the morning wind chill his bare chest as it flew by. Taking a nearby bottle of wine and goblet, he uncorked it before pouring himself a small amount. Nursing the expensive drink, he felt his mind open up.

"She's too good for me, and yet, here she is." He spoke quietly to himself. "Married and with a child."

Looking down onto his estate, the Breton smiled as his eyes beamed over the various points of interest of the large castle.

"No more war, no more fear, just … tranquility…" He sighed.

"**Henry!" A voice cried out.**

Recoiling in pain, the knight dropped the goblet onto the floor as he felt his head soon throbbing in pain. Crouching down to one knee, he reached down to pick up the fallen silver cup.

Shutting his eyes tightly, he saw a compilation of horrific images violate his brain. At the center of it, Maia and Celestine suffering untold depravities, a horde of unseen attackers violating them to no end, along with many other women...

"My queen..." He spoke.

Coming to terms, his smile dropped into a depressed frown. With a heavy sigh, he placed his elbows down on the railing as he leaned onto it.

Inside the kitchen, a single flame crept out from the firepit, onto a nearby tapestry, quickly setting it alight.

"Henry?" Looking over, the Breton found his wife standing at the doorway, a robe covering her.

"What's wrong, sweetness?" She asked, slipping her arms around him.

"I… I failed you. I broke my oath… my promise." Henry answered, turning around to hug his beloved.

Confused, the vampiric maiden tilted her head as she accepted the hug.

"What do you mean?" Serana asked supportively.

"I promised you, that I wouldn't become… him." The Dragonborn answered, shuttering.

"Sweetness, your nothing like my father. Believe me." She insisted.

"No… I'm worse." The fallen knight replied. "An ocean of innocent blood stains these hands."

"What are you talking about?" The vampire asked for further elaboration.

"This… this is _all _I could have ever asked for." Henry spoke, slightly stuttering over his words. "The love of my life, and a beautiful boy…"

"Dear, your starting to scare me. What's going on?" She asked concerned.

"You… You aren't real. None of this is…" The blue knight explained. "You… You were never able to give birth… before you were both taken from me…"

"Honey…" She said, tearing up.

"And when I fell… I… didn't leave… I refused to leave… I begged Molag Bal to grant me vengeance… And in my rage… I broke my oath to you... I promised you I would never become the same beast your father was…" The knight broke down. "And here I am, the pathetic bloodsucking monster I became."

Looking at her, she frowned at the realization. But rather than shun or scold him, her hold on him only tightened.

"I don't care, nothing will stop me from loving you. Alive or undead… You will always be mine… and I yours." Serana said.

"I… I want to stay with you…" He said, sorrowfully.

"I'm afraid it's not your time yet, sweetness..." She answered with a sad smile.

To his surprise, the raven-haired vampire pressed her forehead against his. Looking into her eyes, he found them filled with comfort and acceptance.

"Then promise me this…" She spoke in a hushed tone into one of his ears.

"What?"

"Promise me you'll live…" She requested softly.

"How?... I don't even know who I am anymore..." Henry asked tearfully.

"Yes you do, under that dark shroud and mail is the same man who saved Nirn from the world-eater, the same one who endured a year of depravity from cowards and ended a civil war... and the same man I fell in love with." Serana pushed back passionately.

"I can't do this alone..." He stated.

"I will always be with you..." She answered back.

The vampire then silenced him by pressing her lips against his for one last kiss goodbye, just as the building they stood upon began to crumble to its foundation. Despite this, the two continued their final farewell.

Inside the now barren home, the fire spread to its foundations, burning furniture and structure alike.

"I love you…" They spoke in unison, temporarily breaking the kiss.

Then, with tongues dancing passionately, the manor fell from the flames.

/

The black knight woke up to find Maia fighting a massive minotaur. Missing the mercenary, the creature's battleaxe slammed into the ground with an earthshaking tremor.

Having avoided the attacks from the great beast for several minutes, the red-headed sellsword found herself exhausted. After dive rolling out of a heavy swing, she looked up to watch the furred goliath raising his weapon for another attack. Too tired to fight back, she could only lay and wait for her impending death. To her confusion, the beast chuckled evilly as he released one hand from the shaft of the weapon.

Her eyes widened as the minotaur lowered his free hand down to his wool trousers. Quickly unbuttoning it, his "horn" was soon released for all to see.

Before he could go any further, the black knight pounced onto his back amidst a blur of motion. The starved vampire then immediately let loose on his muscle-bound opponent, sinking his rows of canines into the beast's throat. Dropping its axe, the hulking minotaur screeched out in pain as it attempted to shake off its smaller opponent, only for him to bite deeper into his torn flesh.

Rather than simply draining the massive beast, Henry savaged the minotaur's wound, opening it further and allowing more blood to drain out.

Maia could only watch in awe as the minotaur slammed its back into the wall, in hopes of knocking the knight loose. Unfortunately, the vampire would not be moved. Soon, the minotaur soon grew faint and tired. Falling to its knees, the vampire grabbed the creature by its horns, establishing his physical dominance over the beast.

Looking down, he spotted the monster's member, he looked over to see Maia lying closeby. A hateful sneer forming on his face, he forced the minotaur to look him dead in his eyes.

"She's mine…" He grimly stated through closely gritted fangs.

With one hand, he forced the minotaur's lower jaw open. Then with the other hand, he dug into the roof of his mouth. The sellsword's eyes widened as the knight's biceps grew as he slowly began to wrench open the beast's maw. The monster screamed in pure agony as his jaw muscles stretched beyond its normal range. Blood began to drip as muscles tore and snapped. Even as the horned beast's razor teeth pierced and cut into the knight's hands and fingers, he only continued to crank even harder.

Then, with a cry of sheer savagery, the blood knight tore the minotaur's head in half. Blood ran out from the upper half of the head, to which the knight poured over his own head and into his mouth. Blood rained down his hair and face, staining and coating his face and armor.

Shaking his head, he felt as if his body had been freshly rejuvenated. Despite its foul taste and smell, the vampire devoured the monster's blood. Taking in large gulps, he felt as his aching muscles begin to relax. Reaching to his punctured breastplate, he felt the pain from the stab wound suddenly go numb. He felt his skin begin to warm as the seeping blood began to dry and his sensitivity returned.

After draining the creature, he looked over to see Maia slowly reeling in a combination of horror and fascination. Grabbing his sword, he quickly sheathed the blade before eerily approaching the redheaded mercenary. A flash of bright yellow snapped through his red eyes as he passed through a torch's light.

"Are you hurt?" He asked simply.

Quickly, the Mercenary queen shook her head in response. To her shock, the knight gently raised her to her feet.

"How do we get back into the castle?"

/

Eostian Army Encampment, Medical Tent

Another one, another lost soul.

Celestine stood practically petrified in horror as two of her soldiers brought in yet another wounded man down from the walls. Carrying him on a makeshift stretcher, he was soon added to the evergrowing list of wounded men and women. The healers and aids moved slow and sluggishly, attesting to their low numbers and lack of rest. Having decided to volunteer, the queen and her rival worked tirelessly to aid the wounded.

What broke her spirit, however, was the failed surgery of a woman dying of blood loss. The sight of her so pale and weak, combined with her last request for a letter to be written home proved too saddening to the goddess reincarnate. After accepting her request, the young woman succumbed to her wounds after hours of attempted treatment. Even Olga, the dark sorceress appeared rather unnerved by the ordeal.

Taking a seat on an empty bench, her bodyguard approached her.

"Your grace, perhaps you should rest. The healers can handle the rest." Claudia suggested, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"I see…" Celestine answered.

Under the close protection of her bodyguard and five knights, the queen walked back to her personal tent at the top of a small motte. Around the tent were earthworks, advised by the knight to provide protection from field artillery.

/

Ansur, Maia's Castle

Fighting their way through patrols of Company infantry and locally recruited muscle, the two made their way back into the castle. Reaching the dining hall, the knight kicked in the door to find his former pupil sat at the head of the table, surrounded by some of his centurions. The captains immediately drew their spathas the challenge the knight but were quickly stopped by the Breton's words.

"I challenge you, Hadvar!" He barked out, prompting the company officers to lower their swords before quietly standing aside.

Smirking, the Nord rose to his feet to address his former mentor. Shifting his armor, he quickly drew his sword.

"Very well, Father. Shall we do-" He asked.

"Fo Krah Diin!" Henry shouted, freezing the mercenary commander in place before he could even finish speaking.

Seeing himself quickly beaten, the sellsword smirked as he saw the vampire calmly approach him. His officers remaining completely still and unmoving, choosing not to intervene.

"Do you have any idea what you took from me…" The Dragonborn spat, drawing his sword.

"Yes… A life where you had everything you lost. A blissful illusion provided by the poison I provided the mirror with." Hadvar answered, smiling.

"For the first time in ten years, I had the woman of my life back in my arms… I got to lay my eyes upon the child she would've given me…" The knight answered, tears welling at the corners of his eyes. From behind him, the redheaded sellsword frowned in pity and sympathy, slowly loosening her grip on her short swords.

"Don't cry, father. All will be revealed soon…" The sellsword commander replied, his arrogant smile fading into a frown.

"Silence!" The Breton barked, slashing his sword at the frozen Nord's exposed neck, decapitating him.

Sheathing the blade, the knight soon calmed down. Shedding a few tears at the sight of his former ward as his head rolled across the stone floor, eventually coming to a stop by his feet.

"Fear not the night, but the creatures that lie beneath… My son." He muttered to the severed head before picking it up.

After shedding a few tears, the an aggressive snarl formed on the knight's face. Rising to his feet, he suspended the Nord's head by his hair before his former subordinates.

"Anyone else?" He asked calmly.

Immediately, the company officers knelt before the knight, laying their blades down by their feet and bowing their heads in respect.

"No, Legate, we _will_ follow you."

/

Eostian Army Encampment, Queen's tent

Within the command tent, Celestine tossed and turned within her bed, unable to sleep. Just outside, Claudia and Klaus sat hand-in-hand on a bench, a small group of surviving knights watching over them.

"Man the defenses!" A watch commander ordered.

Celestine exited the tent to find soldiers rushing out from tents, already equipped in armor and carrying weapons. Many bore signs of battle and injury, some barely able to stumble to their feet. Those capable of battle were formed at the main gate, ready to oppose the foreign legion. Those too injured to fight directly were reorganized into ad-hoc support units and were used to man the platforms. Nocking arrows and bolts, the defenders waited in dread as the ground began to thunder around them.

The three were soon ushered to the top of one of the earthworks, allowing them a complete overview of the camp and surrounding landscape.

A mere two hundred paces away, the foreign legion advanced. It's troopers moving in such sync and etiquette, the ground rumbled every time their feet touched the ground. At the front of each century of one hundred, a centurion lead, their plumed crests showcasing their leadership and lack of fear. Behind each officer stood a Signifer, who carried a bronze standard atop a bronze pole, identifying each unit.

Stopping just one hundred paces away, the legion suddenly halted. The defenders stood, many beginning to show signs of fear at the sheer size of the enemy force.

"We're dead…" One archer muttered to his comrade.

"My queen… we can no longer remain here, the defenses will not hold." Claudia whispered.

"Attention!" A booming voice called out from within the legion's ranks.

Emerging from in between the gaps of the units, the black knight rode, the mercenary queen seated behind him. Riding through the mercenary army, the two soon arrived at the fortified entrance.

"I am Sir Henry! Is the general or Lady Celestine present?" The brunette knight asked aloud to one of the sentries.

"Sir Henry! What manner of treachery is this?" Claudia shouted from atop one of the platforms. "You defect to our enemies and dare ask for us?!"

"I bring no treachery, my lady. I bring you, Lady Maia, as ordered." The knight calmly answered, gesturing to the sellsword maiden. "Along with the defection and dissolving of the Colovian Company."

The archers readied their bows on the knight as he calmly raised his right arm in a ninety-degree angle. To their surprise, however, the army immediately knelt to the ground in a gesture of surrender as he quickly lowered it.

"What is this Sir Henry?" Celestine asked aloud from beside Claudia.

"My queen, I hereby announce this former company to be Eostia's first legion." The knight answered. "With myself as its first Legate."


	17. Chapter 17

17

Allies

Feoh, Arcturus Family Estate

Within her personal quarters, Alicia sat at the desk. In her hands lay a report from her trusted second. Despite the troubling news left on the scroll, her face showed little emotion as she continued to read.

"My lady." A voice spoke, knocking on the door.

"Enter." She answered.

Opening the door, a female soldier entered the room. Bowing before her, she removed her helmet, revealing her light brown hair.

"My lady, we've captured a group of deserters." She calmly informed

"How many?" Alicia asked, continuing her report.

"Ten." The soldier answered.

"Any sergeants or men of importance?" The Knight of Iris asked.

"One sergeant. The rest are levies." The woman answered.

Placing the scroll down, she calmly raised her head, making eye contact with her subordinate.

"Take the sergeant to the dungeon, the rest I trust you will deal with, Captain."

/

"As ordered, I rescued Lady Maia. Furthermore, I report the death of the Legate of the now-defunct Colovian Company, along with the defection of the entire garrison and Legion." Henry reported, standing before the High Elven queen.

Sat in a portable throne, the goddess reincarnated rubbed her chin, deep in thought. Beside her, Claudia stood, her arms crossed. Standing closely behind the knight was his dark-skinned elven companion and hulking orcish Lieutenant.

"Do you question my loyalty, my lady?" The black knight asked, the general's hostility not lost on him.

"You come back with an army much larger than ours, would you blame me?" Claudia answered.

"No, I would feel the same suspicion in your position." The vampire replied, shaking his head. "Which is why I bring a gift."

Turning his head, his gaze met that of Borgakh. Nodding to her, the towering orc calmly walked up behind the knight. Reaching into a satchel, she handed the Breton an object wrapped up in velvet.

Taking the bundle, he slowly unwrapped the object, revealing a bright glint of silver. Eyes widened as the object inside was soon revealed.

Resting within his palms revealed it to be a silver dagger. It sat proudly, an intricate design inlaid from its gold handle before ending at the crossguard. Slowly approaching the queen, the knight quickly knelt before her.

"I forged this blade and gave it to my most trusted Lieutenant as a contingency plan should I pose a threat to her or any of my men." Henry explained. "I now give it to you."

"I understand that I'll never truly be trusted-" He said bluntly. "-And I don't care. Order me or not, Tharn must die. He is a threat from my world that I must end."

"Sir Henry-"

"And I understand that my power poses a significant threat to yours, my queen… Know now that should you decide that I must be destroyed… that I will bear no ill will or any thoughts of resistance."

And with that, the knight rose to his feet and walked out of the queen's tent, leaving the blade at the goddess' feet, the orc, and dark elf following closely behind him.

/

Standing before a wooden bucket filled with water, the knight glared down at the bucket's contents. Staring at his reflection, he grimaced as his eyes ran over the blood and dirt that caked his head and face. Taking a big handful, he splashed some over his face. Looking back into the bucket, he watched as the grime slowly ran down his face. Looking down to his feet, he noted the pile of armor pieces left there, including his greaves, cuisse, and solaret.

Reaching for his hands, he began the process of removing his upper armor. First his gauntlets, then his pauldrons came off. Upon attempting to raise his left arm to unclasp his breastplate, he felt a stinging pain in his left ribcage. Concluding that he'd only cause more harm, he decided not to push his unhealed body by removing the breastplate.

Groaning in frustration, he placed a hand firmly over his stinging side, slightly numbing the pain. The sudden fragrance of flowers caused the vampire's nose to wrinkle as he began to hear a heartbeat from behind him.

"Wait, allow me…" A sultry voice suggested.

Turning his head, the knight found the voice belonged to the dark elven queen. Appearing at the tent entrance, Olga quickly made her way to the knight's side.

Placing her hands along his torso, she carefully ran her smooth fingers along the vampire's injured side in hopes of finding the injury. Feeling his ribs, she felt a small bump beneath the plate and mail. Dragging her fingertips along the bump prompted the undead knight to look away and growl in pain.

"We're going to have to remove this…" She stated.

Nodding, he reached for the lower seams of the plate. Following his lead, the queen firmly dug her fingers into the upper seams of the armor.

"Let's get this over with…" He said, gritting his teeth.

Hearing this, the goddess slowly began to remove the breastplate from the Breton's torso. Raising his arms to aid in the process, the Dragonborn winced as he felt the pain of something digging in between his ribcage.

After some effort, the black breastplate was removed and tossed onto the pile of discarded armor pieces.

Now, the raven-haired elf found herself confronted by the knight chainmail haubergeon. She frowned, knowing it would have to be raised over the brunette's head to be removed.

"Hold still, my lord." She instructed carefully.

Grabbing onto the collar of the hauberk, the Dark Elf slowly began raising the mail off of him. Taking in a few deep breathes, the Breton braced himself before opening his mouth to speak.

"Just get this damn thing off me…" The knight ordered, impatiently.

Obeying him, the sorceress hastily raised the mail shirt off of the man, earning numerous hushed groans and hisses of pain from the knight. Tossing it aside, she quickly tore open the cloth shirt he wore beneath. She frowned as her eyes roamed across his chest, spotting the numerous scars and injuries the man's body sported.

Her eyes widened at the sight of a glimmer of silver around his neck. A closer look revealed it to be a small silver necklace with two matching silver rings attached.

Looking at his right, she spotted the source of pain. Lodged in between his ribs was a small chunk of a metal blade. The more he moved, the more blood tricked out from the ghastly wound.

"I won't lie, this will be incredibly painful…" She calmly informed him.

"Do it... " He simply stated.

With a nod, she wrapped her hand around the metal spike. Looking back to him, she found him looking away to not see the process. To say she was surprised to see such a grim individual display pain was only scratching the surface. She knew that even for such a formidable warrior, he was definitely at his weakest.

Quickly plucking the metal from his side, the elf watched as the blood stopped flowing and the skin quickly sealed itself.

"Thank you, my lady." Henry said, closing his cloth shirt. "If you'll excuse me, I'd like to clean myself alone before we make west."

"Why?"

"Pardon?"

"Why push yourself after almost dying?" Olga asked. "You are only one man, you can't save everyone."

"I may not be able to save all." He conceited slightly. "But I will save you, and I'll save Celestine and her kingdom."

Hearing this, the Dark Elven queen laughed.

"Are all the heroes like this where you come from?" She smiled.

"I'm no hero, my lady… Not anymore..." Henry pushed back, turning away from the raven-haired elf. "I've done so much I'm not proud of… I've doused my hands in innocent blood, I've sold my soul to a devil, forsaken my honor, and disgraced my family name."

"All for the woman you loved." She pointed out.

He suddenly felt a hand rest itself on his leg, turning back, he was greeted with a soft kiss on the lips. Blushing, he didn't think to resist when she gently reached up to grasp his face or when she bluntly pressed her tongue into his mouth. After several moments, the sorceress broke the kiss, a trail of saliva emanating from their mouths.

Henry opened his mouth to speak, yet he found himself too stunned to say anything. Seeing his hesitation, Olga stepped forward. Placing her hands on his chest, she began to push him towards the small bed in the corner. Upon reaching the edge, she shoved him onto it.

"Let us skip past the melodrama, I want you, my lord." She spoke, moving to crawl onto him. "And I know you want me."

"Olga..."

"Shhhh…"

Reaching up, she slowly unclasped her corset. Once opened the elf's breasts bounced and wiggled free of the cloth. Seeing the small show, the Breton felt his tongue abruptly moisten.

Blinking, the image of Serana's smiling face conjured itself within his mind.

"**Promise me you'll live."**

"Well, what are you waiting for, my lor-"

Suddenly, the Dragonborn surged forward, latching his lips onto hers, catching her off guard. Despite this, she soon reciprocated his passion when he began to lick at her lips. Granting him permission, their tongues soon engaged in a duel over one another.

The elf moaned as she felt the vampire's strong hands run up and down her sides. Stopping at her waist, she tilted her head in confusion. Then, without warning, the knight forced her to roll over before planting himself on top of her. Making eye contact with him, she found her heart begin to flutter as her light brown eyes met the vampire's ruby ones.

"Henry…" She gasped as she watched him lean down towards her.

Expecting another kiss, she was thoroughly surprised to find the man begin to roughly grope her breasts. Lowering himself, he soon began to suckle on one while fondling the other.

"Oh, Henry!" She moaned as he soon started to softly grind her nipple in between her teeth.

After some time, his hand stopped fondling her before lowering itself down to her thighs. Reaching her covered womanhood, his fingers found it wet to the touch.

"Are you sure this is what you want?" He asked, with a soft whisper into her pointed ear.

"Please, my lord… make me yours." She begged lewdly.

Grabbing the back of his head, the dark elf resumed the kiss as the Breton tore the sorceress' undergarments off. Reaching up to him, she quickly unbuttoned and ripped open his shirt before running her hands over his chest.

With their attention focused solely on each other, the two had neglected to notice a pair of jade green eyes watching them from the entrance to their tent.

Celestine's breathing hurried as she watched Olga's hands reached the blood knight's trousers. Her perfectly manicured fingers quickly undid the vampire's trousers, revealing himself to the two women.

Expecting the man to immediately take her, the dark elf was surprised to find he had stopped himself. Looking up, she saw the knight's eyebrows and shoulders droop. The look of lust he once held, completely gone and replaced by one of regret and sorrow. Sliding off of her, he sat down beside her

"I've longed for one and one only for so long… is it wrong that I now wish for this?" He asked her.

"When I died, I sacrificed all I had left for one thing… revenge." He continued. "And once I had it, I found it so… unfulfilling… It was this empty feeling that drives me to try to save this world… Perhaps that's the only thing left of the Last Dragonborn, my commitment to protecting others."

Hearing this, her seductive facade dropped into a look of understanding and sympathy. Turning to him, she rose to her knees.

"At first, I only saw you for your strength and ability to restore my rule… you know, I planned on you falling for me… But now, I don't know..." Olga confessed. "Your heart aches truly for your lost love. I can now only pity you, for the man you once were."

Sensing no dishonesty from his companion, tears began to well up within the knight's eyes, to which the elf gently wiped away.

"Please, let me help you." She asked.

Without a word, the knight laid down onto his back. The sorceress soon followed, softly sitting down on his hips. Seeing his hardened member, she looked down at him, silently asking for permission.

Nodding, he looked down to watch as the elf slowly lowered himself onto him. Feeling resistance at her folds, he looked up to her to see her redfaced and nervously biting her lip. It was then he realized… she was a virgin.

All this time, beneath all the teasing and tempting actions and glances, was a soft, virgin woman…

Upon breaching her, the dark queen cried out in pain. Leaning over him, she silenced herself by biting into his shoulder. To further comfort her, he placed a hand delicately on her head. When she did not object, he began to gingerly rub her head in small circles.

Feeling this, the dark elf purred softly as she continued her slow but firm pumps. With her softened, the vampire pulled her out of his shoulder before gently beginning to press his fangs into her neck. To the surprise of Celestine, despite the Breton taking blood from the elf, she seemed to be undisturbed by this.

Rather, it appeared Olga was enjoying it.

Faced by the escalation of the erotic display forced the goddess to briefly look away. Shifting her weight, she was embarrassed to find her pure white garb soiled.

Looking around briefly, the high elf was glad she had ordered the guards patrolling this section of the camp away. It was then that she realized.

She was just as turned on as her rival was.

/

Walking down the narrow corridor, the blonde knight walked flanked by two soldiers. Posted at the corner of each room were even more guards. Unlike her former household troops, these new troops were exclusively made up of women. Though not as trained or equipped as her previous retainers, the Knight of Iris found these local volunteers far more loyal and willing their Lieutenant Quinn and the treasonous guardsmen.

Eventually reaching the bottom of the staircase, one of the guards unlocked the door for her lady before entering before her. Looking around the dreary room, she ensured it was safe to enter before the knight made her entrance.

Stepping into the moist dungeon, the young woman quickly discovered the "man of the hour" chained to the wall. The sergeant, a former watch leader in the city watch, lay starved and exhausted. Upon approaching him, the man shakily raised his head, a hateful sneer on his face.

"Sergeant Gendrich, you stand accused of treason and desertion. How do you plead?" Alicia asked with an eerie calmness in her voice.

"Why won't you just let me die?" He asked curtly.

"You will respect your lady, cur!" One of the bodyguards barked at the man, smacking him across the face.

"Bitch… When the commander gets his hands on you… you'll have wished you and your slut cousin died with Beasley!" The man taunted, spitting blood onto Alicia's clothing.

"What commander?" Alicia calmly demanded, wiping the blood off of her.

"You'll find out soon enough… if only I could live to have a turn with-bah!"

The other bodyguard soon silenced the man with a hard jab to his stomach, causing to wheeze in pain.

"Would you like me to find out whom he speaks of?" A young voice spoke from behind them.

Turning around, the Knight of Iris found it belonging to her younger cousin. Coming into the light, her face could be seen clearly. Stripped of her gentle and innocent nature, the young princess bore a hardened and unsympathetic glare, reminiscent of the black knight.

"He's all yours, dear Prim."

/

Reopening his eyes, the black knight felt completely alien. Underneath the cover of warm blankets and a comforting mattress, he had slept soundly. Something he'd neglected to do in a long time. While vampires technically didn't require sleep, for most it served as means of passing time or relaxation. For the vampire knight though, a night of sleep meant so much.

Attempting to sit up proved fruitless as he immediately felt weighted resistance. Looking down, a small smile appeared on his face as he recognized the nude form of his follower sleeping atop his chest. Stirring in her sleep, the elf snored lightly as she rubbed her face into the Breton's chest, earning a few chuckles from the undead knight. Leaning back, he relaxed to the relative quietness of the early morning.

A sudden shift in movement caused the knight's ears to abruptly perk and stand.

"Good morning, my dear." Henry greeted with a short kiss.

"Good morning, my lord..." Olga cooed with as she accepted the kiss.

Sliding off of his chest, the sorceress curled up into the knight's arms.

"You were wonderful last night." Olga sighed dreamily.

"As were you." Henry returned. "That was your first wasn't it?"

"Y-yes, my lord." Olga answered with a blush. "Was I… to your satisfaction?"

"Olga… know now that you are no mere concubine, I do not sleep with women for simple carnal desires..." The Breton answered, gently petting the elf's face. "I may be dead, but that doesn't mean I don't have feelings. I do want you. I want that soft, delectable body warming my bed at night, but I also want the woman beneath the flesh."

"I… Thank you, Henry." The dark elf spoke, embarrassed by the knight's sudden passion for her.

A sudden heartbeat from beyond the tent instantly drew the knight's senses. Shortly after, a familiar head poked its way into the tent. Though initially wary, the vampire relaxed upon recognizing the man as Lieutenant Bauer.

"Forgive the intrusion, my lord, Lady Celestine requests your presence urgently."

/

Castle Blackthorne, Main Keep

Standing at the top of the main keep, Claire looked out into the surrounding countryside. Seeing the patchwork of tilled fields and inhabited lands put a smile on the dark elf's face. All around her, the locals worked as if it were just another day. Be it tending to the crops, cutting down trees, or what have it, there was a sense of normalcy amongst the colony of former refugees.

"There you are." A familiar voice snapped the blonde steward out of her daydreaming.

Turning, her smile grew upon acknowledging her older sister. Coming up from the stairwell, Chloe calmly took a place beside her at the crenelations.

"Gale wanted me to tell you that he finished the order for crossbow bolts." Chloe informed.

"Good. Any word from Sir Henry?"

"Nothing yet, according to some of the traveling merchants and new arrivals, he's been missing since the falling of Ansur."

Hearing this, Claire frowned.

"Please be safe, my lord…" She murmured to herself.

"Do-Do you feel for him, sister?" Chloe asked.

"... Why wouldn't I? He's big, brawny, gorgeous, and the sweetest man I've ever met." She responded with a slight blush.

Expecting a scolding for her interest, the young steward was surprised to receive a warm hug from her older sister.

"Stay strong, I'm sure he'll be alright." The blonde assassin said reassuringly.

"Alarm!" A sentry called out.

Turning, both elves were surprised by the sight of a dark mass of silhouettes emerging from the horizon. Looking back to the fields, the citizenry quickly abandoned their tasks before evacuating back within the walls of the town. Upon seeing the last of the citizens clear the gatehouse, the guards immediately shut the gate and raised the drawbridge.

As the attacking army closed the distance, the sights of humans in leather and padded armor were distinguishable. Soon, a single rider emerged from the mass of combined humans and greenskins.

Raising his red banner, the symbol of a black dog could be seen.

After securing the gates, the bulk of the town watch quickly scrambled to establish themselves atop the palisade walls.

"Right now, dear sister, I fear we need to be strong."

/

**Sorry for taking so long with this chapter, I've been busy experimenting with other fics. I also frequently changed concepts and scrapped ideas. With how they're doing, I'll most likely focus solely on this. As always, feel free to review and ask questions, I take reviews and critique seriously. If they're important feel free to PM, I should answer back within a few hours.**

**~JusticarNemesis**


	18. Chapter 18

18

Baptism

/

From atop a small hill, the black knight watched as his contingent of two thousand marched off. Flanked by his small compliment of horsemen, the undead legate looked back to see the main Eostian Army tearing down their encampment. Just as he was about to pull his horse forward to shield his infantry, a set of hands ran over his forearms.

"Olga?" He asked, turning his head to see the dark elven maiden, a look of worry on her face. "What is it?"

"Chloe…" She muttered.

"I'll get her back." He reassured her.

Giving Shadowmere a slight tap with his boot, the dark beast kicked and sped off.

"Be strong Claire…" He hoped.

/

Castle Blackthorne

Cutting through the air, the arrow fell upon the unprotected skull of an orc manning the battering ram. Falling over, another orc immediately rushed forward to replace him.

Nocking another arrow, Chloe was about to fire upon another of the besiegers before something whistled by her head. Narrowly missing her, she dodged another arrow sent by an enemy archer before sending one back at the mercenary. Catching his throat, the man dropped his bow and dropped to his knees as blood flew out from his punctured neck. Rather than waste precious arrows, the elf merely looked on as the man drew his last breath.

Focusing her attention back to the gatehouse, the gate seemed to hold up well against the overwhelming mass of attackers. Looking to the gatehouse itself, she was slightly relieved to see that even when heavily outnumbered and underequipped, the town watch performed admirably. Whenever they had the chance, they would lean out from behind cover to harass the attackers manning the ram. Using a crude but effective arsenal of crossbow bolts, rocks, and whatever they could honestly find to throw, they inflicted serious casualties amongst the enemy ranks. Her pointed ears soon perked up as the shrill shrieks of men and green skins could be heard as two militia members poured a cauldron of boiling water over them.

Looking past the stone walls of the castle, she saw the burning ruins of the town bellow. Though the outer walls had fallen rather quickly, they had managed to evacuate the citizens to the castle and had thankfully taken relatively minor casualties.

She looked down into the bailey to see Claire organizing and leading the citizens in supporting the town watch. Children worked tirelessly, gathering as much dirt, debris, and unthrowable furniture for use in fortifying the castle. Women not in the militia aided the efforts by running in to resupply the fighters and by tending to the wounded. Within the smithy, Gale pounded away at whatever metal he could find, forging crossbow bolts at the speed of a god. Though of mediocre skill, the High Elf had heart and thus proved himself reliable.

Drawing another arrow, she found a suitable target amongst the sacrificial ram-bearers. This next fool would make thirty-four.

/

Feeling the vampire's fangs sink into his exposed throat, the mercenary leader squirmed and cried out in pain. With every passing moment, he felt as more and more of his muscles and organs go numb. Sucking the life out from the mercenary, the undead knight calmly released his grip on the man's head and shoulders and watched as his lifeless body crumpled to the ground.

Looking around, he watched as his men surrounded the enemy scouting party. Seeing their leader feasted upon, the treacherous mercenaries fell to their knees before throwing up their hands in surrender.

"We surrender! We surrender!" One mercenary begged.

"Take no prisoners." Henry ordered calmly.

Obeying him, the sellswords cried out in unison as the legionnaires set upon them with the bloodthirst of loyal Death Hounds. Utilizing their spathas, they hacked the scouts apart like lambs destined for the butcher's block. Taking part in the battlefield execution was the knight's squire who despite his clear unease, followed through with the order, smashing a man across the jaw with his shield, knocking him to the ground and breaking his teeth. Stomping his boot down on the mercenary's stomach, he finished him with a quick stab to the heart.

Hearing the hurried breaths of exertion, the legate turned to find them belong to a surviving scout hidden within the tall grass of the killing field. Seeing the merciless slaughter before him, the young Black Dog attempted to make a run for the hills.

Before the Dragonborn could pursue the man, the honor was taken from him as a fireball almost immediately struck his next kill. With flames catching onto his clothing, the scout wailed in agony as his white flesh burned and charred to a crisp. Collapsing to the ground, his screams soon drew to a close as he drew his last breath.

Catching the scent of burning candles, the knight smiled lightly as Olga took her place beside him, a fireball in her hand.

"Reform!" The legate shouted to the veteran unit.

Continuing on their advance, the foreign contingent marched ahead at a breakneck pace. Forgoing rest and supplies, they would meet the enemy army within the next few days.

The thought of it enticed the vampire.

/

Days Later

Reaching the ever-familiar river that passed his fief, the knight called for his four senior centurions to gather before him.

Quickly circling around him, the Dragonborn was met by the experienced, grizzled faces of the various men and mer he'd recruited over the years. It was these same men who served alongside the vampire in his prime during the civil war. Despite their comparatively humble origins as meer legionnaires serving in the Imperial Legion, it was their skill, experience, and loyalty that saw the knight promote them to leadership positions years later.

"Your orders, Legate?" The leading officer, a Dark Elf asked.

"We make camp here. Dreth, Brennus, and Felix, I want your cohorts pulling security. Dreth, I want half of your cohort on rearguard duty. Amari, I want your men on construction duty, I want drinking water secured first, then latrines as far away from that as possible." Henry ordered.

"Aye aye, sir!" The men shouted in unison.

Excusing themselves, the four officers ran to take control of their respective units. Within moments, the foreign legion had split up and begun the task of fortifying their position.

/

Hours Later

Finally smashing through the first gate, the attackers stormed into the gatehouse. Pulling the battering ram along, they soon reached the second gate.

Having readied themselves, the militia greeted the horde with everything they had. First, boiling water rained down, scorching man and beast alike. Following were basket after basket of rocks that dived on the invaders like a landslide. Those unlucky or flailing in pain from the boiling water were soon silenced by the bone-crushing storm of rocks and boulders. Chloe watched intensely as one of the enemy sergeants who once cheered and led the attacking soldiers, now lay dead, his face crushed and unrecognizable, his nose and jaw completely shattered and virtually torn off.

Expecting another wave of enemies, the Dark Elf was pleasantly surprised to see no enemies come to take up and operate battering ram. Looking up, she watched as the remaining block of attackers disengaged before retreating down the hill, concluding another day of the siege.

After remaining alert for several seconds, the horde abandoned the sacked town. The younger and lesser experienced militia cheered and praised each other, while the more trained and equipped watchmen remained behind cover and readied themselves for another assault.

Sighing, the tired elf looked down into the bailey bellow. From atop a small crate, Claire praised and roused the equally tired townspeople. Tuning out from the short speech from her kinder kin, Chloe looked to see the defenders settle in for the night. Seeing her, the watchmen intuitively turned to the elf for orders. After the volunteers settled down from their high of victory, they followed suit and awaited her next commands.

"Rearm. I want team one down at the gates, they'll be on scavenge duty. I want weapons and any throwing weapons light enough for one person to carry alone." The Dark Elf instructed. "Team two will remain here and patrol the walls."

Obeying without a word, the elf was soon left to her lonesome. Blinking, she felt her eyelids become heavier. Leaning up against a crenel on the wall, the Dark Elf softly sat down on the wall.

Just as she was about to slip off into sleep, Chloe snapped awake to find the castle under bombardment from the besiegers' camp. Raising her head, she watched as a massive stone struck one of the guard towers, sending shrapnel throughout the tower and peppering the two guards inside.

Another boulder flew, this time destroying one of the crenellations and eviscerating the militiawoman taking cover behind it. Once the smoke cleared, all that remained of her were her severed legs and the mist of blood covering her comrades closeby.

"Everyone get down!" Chloe shouted, pulling two guards to the ground with her.

/

From within his fortified camp, the black knight watched as his squire dodged a sword blow. Catching the squire's sword in a bind, the trainer immediately took advantage of the situation. Slamming his shoulder into the teen, he was able to throw him off balance and break his guard. Seeing his guard lowered, the man closed the gap once more, this time pointing the tip of his wooden sword up against the throat of the blonde squire.

"Damn!" Arthur groveled as he raised his hands in surrender.

"I wouldn't be too hard on yourself kid, we all have to start from somewhere." The centurion said reassuringly.

"Yeah, and for you, I bet you've always held a sword." The squire said, scoffing.

"Yes actually, swordsmanship is highly prized amongst my people." The centurion answered. Raising his helmet revealed himself to be a darkly skinned Redguard man in his early thirties. "I'm Captain Amari, commander of the second cohort. You can just call me Jafar."

"Nice to meet you, sir. Arthur Groshe." The young squire smiled.

"A pleasure, would you like to go another round? I'm sure my men can hold their ground without me." The centurion offered.

"No thank you, I would like to ask something else of you if that's ok." Arthur asked.

"But of course." The Redguard smiled.

"Your unit and this legion system are truly fascinating, do you think you could tell me more about how they work." The teen asked.

"See them?" The Lieutenant explained, pointing out a nearby group of ten soldiers huddled before a small fire.

"That's a squad of ten or "contubernium" as we say back in the legion, they form the smallest unit of the army." Jafar explained. "Each one is led by a "Decanus" or squad leader."

Seeing that the teen was paying close attention, the Redguard officer continued his summary of the legion.

"The next unit of note is the century, as you can see with my section of the camp they are made up of ten squads. Leading them into battle, marching, and training is the "Centurion", there are two different types of these, junior centurions and senior centurions." He further elaborated.

"What's the difference between juniors and seniors?"

Immediately, the dark-skinned officer pointed to a small tent occupied by five soldiers, unlike the simplistic and basic tent used by the rank-in-file, theirs appeared far more elaborate with wine and fine food.

"That's one of the officers' tents, all of those men are junior centurions, they command centuries of their own. Together, our six centuries make up a cohort of six hundred men. To represent our combined unit, we have a senior centurion chosen by the legate."

"Finally, we have the legion itself. A legion at full strength is made up of ten cohorts total, giving us a total of six thousand men. As we're at less than half strength at the moment, we only have four cohorts, giving us two thousand four hundred give or take."

"That's a lot of organization…" Arthur commented, amazed.

"Of course, an army without organization is little more than a well-dressed mob." Jafar concurred.

"You would certainly know about mobs, wouldn't you?" A snide voice joked, revealing the short and athletic form of a Dark Elf officer.

"Dreth. Come to collect me for the legate, have you?" The Redguard officer asked, returning the favor.

"Aye. The Legate wondered where you were, we started our brass meeting five minutes ago." Captain Dreth nodded.

"I see, let's be off then." Captain Amari said. "Sorry kid, but we'll have to cut our lesson short today."

/

From his central tent, the knight sat at his desk. On the table before him sat a local map, written in ink were notes he'd written to consider. Standing around him were his four senior Centurions who calmly awaited their next orders, along with Olga who sat nervously beside the black knight.

Sensing another life form approaching the tent, the knight intuitively raised his head to find Lieutenant Bauer approaching him.

"Report, Lieutenant." The Dragonborn requested.

"We've scouted out the enemy positions as you've asked, my lord," Bauer answered. "As expected, the enemy force numbers in the several thousand."

"What of the castle?" Olga spoke.

"The main town has fallen and the castle itself has sustained considerable damage, but it appears the defenders continue to hold the keep." Bauer replied. "However, it appears our enemy has begun an artillery barrage on the keep…"

"What?!" Henry asked, surprised. "How did they?... Damnit…"

Quickly regaining his composure, the vampire turned to his subordinates.

"Gentlemen, ready your men, we take to the field."

/

Black Dog Camp

From within his tent, Vault sat within his makeshift throne, standing before him was the athletic form of his right hand. Clad in a sleeveless green vest, the young mercenary stood confident and proud.

"You were right, boss, those ballistae are making quick work of the castle's defenses, we should have the castle by morning." The Black Dog informed.

"Hmph, I guess that walking corpse was right about one thing then at least." Vault smirked, rising from his throne.

Walking out of his tent, the treacherous mercenary looked down to view his camp. At an elevated just below his tent, he noted the three field artillery pieces continuously rained fire down upon the besieged castle. While a large number readied themselves for battle, a great many "entertained" themselves. Throughout the camp, crying and screaming emanated from nearly every tent. He watched as two of his Lieutenants opened a kennel, reaching inside they dragged a nude woman out by her hair.

"Finally… a dog can truly have his day." He said watching as the two mercenaries began to unbutton their pants before the horrified woman.

"Enemy scouting party!" A sentry shouted.

Looking to their south, they spotted a small contingent of horsemen stopping a short way from their camp. Seeing that they'd been spotted, they turned and quickly fled in a panic.

"Hicks. Take a detachment, I want them stamped out, bring any women you find to me." Vault ordered, his smirk growing.

"You got it, boss." The mercenary nodded. "You two, quick dicking around with that whore and get your men ready!"

/

Riding in the middle of the formation, Hicks' eyes clicked as the light of the enemy encampment came into view. He felt on edge as the lightly equipped scouts from earlier appeared to occupy the wooden towers behind the walls. Catching sight of the four thousand man horde, the guards panicked and fled from the towers into the camp below, surprising the mercenary.

Looking around, the mercenary smirked in confidence, hearing only a modicum of voices panicking from within the camp.

"Fan out! Surround the camp!" He ordered impulsively.

Obeying, his combined force of humans and orcs spread themselves out to cover the distance of the camp.

/

From atop a small hill, the Breton and his Nordic subordinate stood, concealed within the treeline.

"Your orders, Legate?" Captain Brennus asked.

"Order the attack." Henry ordered.

Beating his chest in a salute, the Nord reached to a small brass whistle on a cord around his neck. Placing it up to his lips, he channeled all of his breath into one long continuous screech.

Hearing the signal, his cohort emerged from their hiding positions. Forming a solid line, the six hundred man unit rapidly advanced down the hill onto the baffled mercenaries. Abandoning their pila, the second cohort quickly met their enemy at the base of the hill. Tightly forming together, the poorly organized sellswords stood no chance against the best of Nirn's mercenaries. Standing out from the Nirnian war-machine was the small, but formidable first century. Lead personally by Captain Brennus, the axe-bearing band of Nordic troops swiftly punched their way through the Black Dogs' center, splitting their line in half. Those who could fathom the crushing defeat quickly retreated towards the center. Those too stunned or foolish to brave the impact of the enemy charge were quickly cut down in the murderous melee.

Though they expected their foreign foes to pursue them, the survivors of the disastrous engagement were once more surprised when the camp's gates swung open. Pouring out was the first cohort with Captain Dreth and his vaunted first century spearheading the assault. Joining the second's pursuit of the wavering Black Dogs, the first's heavily armored legionnaires made short work of the lightly armed Eostian mercenaries. After a short, but brutal encounter, the shattered remnants of the Black Dogs once again retreated, their commander nowhere to be seen.

Seeing the trouble on their right flank and center, the orcs on the left flank began to circle the camp to aid the collapsing Black Dogs. Before they could reach their retreating allies, however, a rain of pila rained down on them, killing many caught out in the open ground.

Emerging from the tallgrass, the third cohort rushed in and immediately engaged the disorganized greenskins. Unlike the brief fight over the left flank, the orcs fought with incredible ferocity, even when outnumbered and outmaneuvered, they inflicted noticeable casualties amongst the legion troops. Though they fought viciously, they showed little care for tactics or strategy and preferred brute force and decentralized leadership. Seeing this, Captain Amari lead his century to the orc's left flank, where there they were able to cut them off from support from the center. After covering their right flank, Jaffar signaled to a single century he'd left in reserve to flank the orcs' right flank, completely encircling the remaining Warband. Even in the face of defeat, the orcs fought on with the resolve of beasts fighting for their land. Despite their unwavering bloodthirst, however, the orcish force was soon wiped out.

/

A short time later

Attempting to crawl into the safety of a bush, the mercenary gasped out in pain as a spear slammed into his back, severing his spine and puncturing his heart. Claiming another kill, the Nordic legionnaire retrieved his spear to see further movement within the tall grass ahead.

"Hey! Borlog, come over here! There's someone hiding in the grass!" The brutish Nord shouted out to the Orcish Decanus.

/

Draining a Black Dog of his blood, the vampiric legate frowned as he was interrupted from his meal. Looking up, he was pleasantly surprised to see two of his soldiers drag a surviving mercenary before him.

"Legatus! We found this one trying to hide the grass field." The massively built orc said, grabbing Hicks' long hair, forcing him to look up to the Breton vampire.

"Give me one reason why I should let you live." Henry asked, bearing his bloody fangs to the Black Dog.

Rather than answer immediately, the visibly injured mercenary spat in the Dragonborn's face.

"Fuck you, bloodsucker… I bet Vault's got both a' those elven minxes on his prick by now!" Hicks taunted vulgarly.

"Shall I cut out his tongue for you, Legate?" The Orcish Decanus asked, placing his hand on his dagger.

Despite the vulgar insult, the knight only raised his hand in a gesture to back off. Wiping the spit off his cheek, he opened his mouth to speak.

"Quite proud of your body, aren't you?" Henry asked, pointing out the Lieutenant's open vest and bare chest.

"Are you coming onto me, you freak?!"

"It's a shame I must-" The Black knight spoke, drawing his dagger.

Hicks' eyes grew wide as the undead Dragonborn drew his blade back for a wide slash.

"W-wait!... I-"

Ignoring his plea, the Breton slashed the mercenary across his abdomen, cutting him open. Like prisoners freed from their sentences, his now-exposed entrails spilled out onto the ground. Rather than finishing off the cowardly Lieutenant, the knight only watched on silently as the man gasped and sputtered as he soon died.

/

Elsewhere

Sitting within his throne, Vault sat impatiently waiting for Hicks' return. Looking down to the slave on her knees before him, he grew increasingly angry with her poor performance.

"Is that the best you can do?!" He barked at the nude woman.

"I'm sowwy!" She cried out in fear, her voice slightly muffled by the mercenary's blessed package.

"Your about to be sorry if you don't try harder…" He threatened, earning a squeak from the woman who immediately began to suck harder.

"Boss!" A mercenary spoke, bursting into his tent.

"What?!" Vault asked, annoyed by the interruption.

"Your gonna wanna see this…" The young mercenary answered.

Rebuttoning his pants, the mercenary huffed as he was forced to button up his pants and cut his enjoyment short.

Exiting his tent, his scowl grew as he caught sight of the sizable enemy force mobilizing just to his south. Emerging from the formations of foreign troops, the Black Knight stepped out into the open.

Reaching behind him, he presented Hicks' severed head, raising it high for all to see before dropping it onto the dirt.

"Bastard…" Vault muttered.

After catching the army's attention, the Dragonborn backed up and disappeared amongst the ranks of Legion troops.

"Advance!" He shouted out.

Obeying his command, the three cohorts under his command immediately began their slow, but loud advance.

Raising his men from their partying, the mercenary king watched as they formed up to oppose the encroaching foreign legion. Gathering their arms and armor, the horde took their places just as the enemy began to press up the hill's slope.

Making contact, the two armies simply pressed one another. The defending horde firmly held their ground against the attacking legion. Though ill-disciplined and questionably skilled, the combined forces of orcs and mercenaries were able to halt the opposing army's assault, albeit at a high cost.

From his elevated position, Vault watched the bloody battle unfold. He hoped that the terrain advantage would allow his men to push the enemy off of the hill. Unfortunately, that hope was utterly dashed when a loud trumpet blow drowned out the sounds of battle.

Looking to his rear, he watched in astonishment as an unseen detachment of troops snuck into his camp from the rear. As all of his forces were diverted to the frontlines, Vault had no troops within earshot to redeploy to engage this new threat. Given free reign, the foreign legionnaires under Captain Felix and dismounted cavalrymen under Lieutenant Bauer ravaged the horde camp, freeing slaves and causing as much commotion as possible.

Seeing the enemy troops running amok in their camp, many Black Dogs turned to flee north while their Orcish allies remained to combat the legion. Due to their enemies' sudden lower numbers, the legion troops soon began to breach the undermanned defensive lines.

/

Sometime later

Standing before the destroyed palisade wall, the Dragonborn stared off in the direction of his ruined castle. His daydreaming was soon cut off by two of his subordinates, approaching him were Captain Dreth and Lieutenant Bauer, accompanied by the cavalrymen.

"Legatus, we've neutralized the enemy encampment. It appears the enemy commander has fled. What are your orders?" Dreth asked.

"Fortify and take up defensive positions in the abandoned camp. See to the recovered captives, have them fed, clothed, and treated. I want hourly patrols on every inch of that hill and dug-in defenses in place." Henry ordered. "Bauer, I want scouting reports from up north. If you see the enemy, do not engage."

"Aye aye, sir!" The two men said in unison before rushing off.

Now free to enter the town, the knight grimaced at the sights of razed and destroyed homes. Reaching the peak of the hill, he was soon greeted by the massive pile of enemy corpses flooding the gatehouse. Opening the gates, his determined face went blank as the form of Chloe and the surviving townsfolk emerged to receive him.

In the Dark Elf's arms lay the gravely wounded body of Claire.

/

Within the dining hall, the black knight rushed in. Ignoring the words and looks from his subjects, he quickly placed his steward atop one of the dining tables.

Raising two fingers to her neck, felt her pulse. It felt weak. Attempting to rouse her failed, only giving further testament to her grave state. He had to think quickly, it was unlikely any of the townsfolk were skilled physicians, and Olga was currently occupied in treating the wounded elsewhere.

"I won't let you die, my lady." He whispered to her as he lowered himself to her face.

Gently pressing his fangs into her neck, he drew a minor amount of blood. Drinking the honeydew-like blood, he pulled out his dagger. Discarding one of his gauntlets, he soon cut his palm open. Raising his bloody hand over the elf's open mouth, he watched as his blood dripped into her mouth before his skin healed itself.

Reacting almost immediately, the vampire's lips flattened to a soft, melancholic look as the elf's skin turned paler. Feeling her pulse once more, he was somewhat eased when her pulse grew steadily. Though still incapacitated, he expected the elven maiden to survive.

Slipping his arms around the blonde elf, he gently picked her up.

Walking up the nearby staircase, he soon reached her room, the familiar sight of the old washtub and bed feeling a sense of nostalgia within him. Slipping her into the bed, he pulled the covers over the unconscious elf.

"Forgive me, my lady." He asked softly, leaning in and kissing her softly on her lips.

Exiting the room, he didn't notice the perverted grin that emerged on her face moments later.


	19. Chapter 19

19

Siring

/

Capital of Ken

Exiting a city guildhall, the curvaceous elven queen found herself intrigued by her Orcish bodyguard. Waking professionally in her chainmail, her superwoman physique practically bulged out, allowing a plethora of glances from both men and women. Despite this, the Orc seemed not to care as she appeared more focused on the queen's safety.

"You seem to be taking the news of these defections well, my lady." Borgakh commented.

"Vault is… was a trusted affiliate. While he was a mercenary, both he and Maia accepted contracts with me. As with any mercenary, they're obliged to uphold the contracts they accept until they complete said contract. He made his choice… And it seems it's going to end with his head on a Legion pike." Celestine answered with a sad frown.

Continuing their stride towards her castle, the elf blushed when she noticed the glares from men, in particular, intensify the moment they entered the industrial sector with some hushed lewd comments made towards the Orsimer.

"Are all Orc women like you where you come from?" She asked, curiously nudging the heavily muscled Orc.

"My lady, I bear the face of an orc, a race not known particularly for "stunning beauty" by the standards of most." Borgakh answered bluntly.

"You're far too hard on yourself, you have a body that women would sell their souls to obtain." Celestine pointed out kindly. "And the kind that men would lose their minds trying to take."

"Fools. An Orc wouldn't barter for something she can earn through hard work and endurance." The Orcish maiden scoffed. "Nor would she allow weak-minded men to take her… not without bloodshed that is."

"And you have the confidence of a woman not afraid to take what she wants." The blonde queen furthered.

"I don't know much of the Orsimer of your world, but we have a saying amongst mine regarding talk. 'A wagging tongue is useless, be like a sword, and have a point.'" Borgakh explained.

"So you don't value interaction amongst your own?" Celestine asked.

"Of course we do, however, my people for as long as we've existed have constantly been at war. Be it with the Breton Kingdoms Sir Henry hailed from, The Redguard city-states, The Nordic Kingdoms, or even amongst ourselves. As such, there is little room for fraternization with outsiders."

"Henry spoke some about his former king, but he never went much into detail." The goddess asked.

"Armel? What's there to say? A weak-willed snake that one." The Orcish Lieutenant answered dismissively.

"How so?"

"Henry's family once served the royal court as knights for several centuries, they fought hard, fought loyally. One day, Henry marries the wrong woman and the king wipes his hands free of him." The buxom orc bitterly explained.

"The wrong woman?"

"Aye. He was a prestigious landholding knight who held godlike powers and saved the world thrice, then he turns around and elopes with a two-thousand-year-old vampire." She further elaborated.

Seeing Celestine's fascinated glare Borgakh continued her tale.

"He was "quietly" excommunicated from the church and was declared a heretic, then the king ordered him disposed of. His own brothers in arms carried out the deed, burying him and his bride under the burning remains of their own home." She said.

Hearing this, the goddess reincarnate shuddered as she remembered the terrifying vision she witnessed regarding the knight's horrible demise.

"Then he came back as a vampire lord and killed the cowards responsible, then the little weasel banished him."

"How did you two meet then?" Celestine asked.

"We meet some years prior, then he was but a wandering boy when he stumbled upon my tribe. Though initially distrusted, he quickly earned his entry and place as a welcome friend. When he was found to be the Dragonborn of legend, my father immediately hatched thoughts of marriage for us."

"Your father was planning for the two of you to marry?" The elf asked, shocked.

"Aye. Though they didn't quite pan out as planned. Henry bought off my dowry, then he offered me a place at his side. I followed him for some time after that… and then I fell for him."

"And then?"

"Then he met her. Serana her name was. I knew the moment we laid eyes upon her she was the one and only for him." The orc answered with a sad smile. "Eventually we parted ways for some time, only reuniting years later when they'd passed."

"What… what was he like before she died?" The queen asked, curiously interested.

"Kind, passionate, romantic, somewhat naive, but honest and trustworthy." The orc snorted. "He was virtually the perfect template for the 'Knight in Shining Armor.'"

"Do you think he'll…" Celestine blushed.

"Fancy you? I say you'd best make your move soon then, my lady. Though I buried those feelings for him long ago, I'd imagine his relationship with Lady Olga or his steward hasn't remained entirely… professional." Borgakh chuckled, surprising the blonde.

/

Castle Blackthorne, Hours later

Feeling a stinging pain in his ass, the vampire gradually awoke. Looking down, he remembered he had fallen asleep at the desk in Claire's room. Rising from the painfully rigid chair, he stretched lightly. Looking over to the bed revealed the healing form of the dark elf who slept with a soft snore.

Smelling the ash and brimstone emanating off her, he felt the weight of guilt tear at him.

Deciding to allow her to rest alone, the Black Knight quietly left the room.

Walking to the roof battlement, the Breton gained an overview of the castle and the fortified camp. He nodded to himself as he noticed his men dutifully performing their duties as expected. Contubernia patrolled the perimeter constantly, guard posts stood manned with their occupiers on the watch. He grimaced as he noticed an entire cohort slummed through the mud in their burial of the dead.

Meanwhile, in a series of tents, the arduous process of tending to and providing for the freed slave women trudged along. Despite being free from their horrid captivity and depravity of their captors, the Eostian women showed incredible suspicion and even resistance towards their Nirnian caretakers. Seeing the curvaceous form of his elven lover order and lead the medical relief efforts brought a small sense of comfort to the Dragonborn.

Looking down into the castle bailey itself was, however, another gut-wrenching image. Under whatever cover they could find, a detachment of legionnaires treated the wounded and provided security. Despite their clear distrust, the survivors accepted the foreign troops' aid and cooperated with their efforts. Looking at the forge, he was rather surprised to see the amateur blacksmith continuing to hammer away. Now equipped with better tools and materials in the form of captured enemy supplies, he worked to produce better weaponry and armor for the militia.

"Gale forging armor? Now that's something I thought I wouldn't see without teaching him myself." Henry commented.

Turning his attention to the walls, while not surprised by the damage inflicted, he was nonetheless presented with two significant issues. Firstly, holding the devastated castle of Blackthorne would prove a significant challenge with half of his forces divided up south between Ansur and Feoh. Secondly, the added burden of feeding and treating the many new refugees and displaced citizens would be a logistical nightmare for the already strained supply lines.

While not the legate's first time facing unfavorable odds, the situation was grim.

Stepping down from the battlement, the undead knight proceeded back to the staircase to discuss with his subordinates. Stopping by Claire's room revealed her to be soundly asleep as before. Deciding to leave her be, the vampire quietly closed the door to her room before walking downstairs.

Reaching the central hall, he found it just as busy and crowded with family after family huddled together, eating what little food could be spared. Cooking and medicating the groups was a skeleton crew of his soldiers. Looking for a leader, he quickly found it in the form of a young Nord Centurion.

"Lieutenant! What's your unit?" Henry requested.

"Third century, second Cohort sir!" The young woman quickly answered.

"Have some men posted upstairs to look after Lady Claire, she's injured and currently recovering. Make sure these people all get something to eat." The Legate ordered sternly.

"Aye, sir!" The woman obeyed, beating her chest with a folded hand.

"Thank you, my lord." One man rose to speak, his armor virtually falling apart from the extensive battle it'd seen.

"You honor us with your presence, my lord." Another man spoke, praisingly.

Soon enough, the entire hall rose to thank and praise the knight.

"No thanks are necessary, you've all fought long and hard to protect your family and community, its an honor to have such brave and loyal subjects." The knight replied coolly before leaving the hall.

Exiting, a small smile appeared on his face as he recognized the second figure in the forge. Peering over the shoulder of the blond elf was the short but strong form of an Imperial man in his late twenties. Watching every hammer strike, he professionally made corrections to the elven smith. Narrowing his eyes in focus, Gale carefully struck the flattened steel ingot. Looking back to the blacksmith, the High Elf took the Imperial's instruction to heart.

Choosing not to ignore the two men, the knight continued on his way back to the fortified encampment.

Walking in via the main gates, the vampire was greeted by a flurry of activity. All around, patrols made their rounds around the camp, while detachments of soldiers tended to the freed women.

"Legate present!" A centurion shouted out.

Almost as if they had waited for him, the knight's soldiers struck their chests in a proud salute.

"As you were." Henry spoke, allowing the men to return to their duties.

Walking past a former slave pen, the vampire was surprised to see captured mercenaries huddled inside. Stopping, he glared at the contubernium who stood watch over the prisoners.

"What's the meaning of this?" He asked. "I never ordered for prisoners to be taken."

"Captain Dreth believed they had intelligence worth keeping them alive." The Decanus answered.

"Oh he did, did he?" The knight asked, turning to look over the captives.

Opening the pen, he entered the fecal-smelling former slave pens to find the eleven mercenaries instinctively moving away from him. Looking at the disheveled traitors, the vampire saw a variety of emotions. The younger, less experienced ones could do little to hide their fear of the Dragonborn, while the older ones were able to at least put up the facade of stoicism.

"If any of you men wish to keep your pathetic excuses for lives, tell me of any encampments or plans to your knowledge." The Breton calmly requested.

Looking around, the Dragonborn expected to be disappointed by the men's dead silence. Despite their treachery towards their former contract holder, he could at least applaud them for their loyalty to their commander. Before he could leave, however, one man stood up and ran forward, throwing himself to his knees before the knight.

"There's a hidden supply base north of here, occupied by a garrison of sellswords." The captive spoke up.

"Where?"

"In the hills overlooking Saren, there's a cavern system there using as a supply base!" The man answered quickly.

Hearing the betrayal, the man's fellow captives were about to rise to attack the cowardly mercenary. In response, the knight calmly placed a hand on the whistleblower's shoulder, an aggressive change in his posture signaling the prisoners to back off.

"Did you partake in the "festivities"?" The vampire asked, motioning towards the nearby tents of women.

"No! Of course not, my lord!" The man answered, putting on a clearly faked smile.

"I don't like liars." Henry warned, his grip growing tighter.

"Yes! Yes! I had one of those nuns there! I admit it!" The mercenary admitted, quickly caving in.

"Bring him to the block, take his prick, and let him go." The undead knight ordered, letting go of the man's shoulder. "Crucify the rest."

"W-wait! You can't! No!" The man cried out as two legionnaires moved to restrain him, grabbing him by his arms and dragging him out of the pens.

Afterward, an additional squad was called up from the camp. From there, a short but one-sided struggle ensued between the guards and the prisoners. Despite the resistance offered, they proved no match for the dominant Nirnian troops. In the end, the Black Dogs were extracted from the cells, some willingly, others were beaten and bloodied. Like the words from a prophet, the legionnaires followed the orders of the knight unhesitatingly.

/

Entering the command tent formerly occupied by Vault, the Dragonborn was greeted by a gathering including his four senior centurions and his cavalry commander. Taking a seat in the mercenary's former throne, the Breton readied himself for the following news.

"Casualty reports." He requested calmly.

"Roughly six-hundred and twelve of our own lie dead, Legatus. Another ninety-seven are unfortunately injured beyond combat readiness." Captain Dreth reported solemnly.

"Damn." Henry huffed. "Marcus, how many refugees do we have currently?"

"Roughly two-hundred, my lord. All women were taken from neighboring villages and hamlets." Captain Felix answered.

"Bauer, how many of your men are battle-ready?" The knight asked, turning to the cavalryman.

"Only about fourteen including myself, my lord." The Eostian man answered.

"Have your best rider kitted up and brought before me, I fear we'll need to request recruits from the local population." Henry ordered.

"Aye, my lord." Bauer nodded before quickly exiting the tent.

"How are our supplies looking?" The Breton asked.

Stepping forward, Captain Brennus retrieved a small paper roll from his side.

"Not well, Legatus. Factoring in the refugees, we only have enough to supply ourselves for another four days of operation, regarding medical supplies I'm afraid we don't fare much better." He answered.

"Anything else of note that I may have missed?"

"No, Legatus." Captain Amari answered.

"I see… dismissed." The knight said, prompting the four men to leave the Breton alone.

Slinking back into the chair, the vampire sighed in thought. The tent flaps soon parted, allowing the raven-haired elf to enter. Seeing his alluring follower, a small smile spread across the knight's face.

"How are you holding up?" She asked, taking a seat in the vampire's lap.

"Fair, how's Chloe?" He asked back, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"She's shaken, but alright." Olga answered.

"How about you?" Henry asked.

"Tired of treating wounded men." She answered with a scoff.

"I'm glad to have you, both your skills but also… having you." Henry praised, running a thumb over one the elf's high cheekbones.

"Your very emotional today, what have you done with that handsome butcher who used to threaten me so casually?" Olga asked with a teasing grin.

"He's… trying to get better." He answered with a chuckle.

"I'd say the effort warrants a reward~" She said with a sultry smile as she moved to kiss him.

Accepting the kiss, the vampire reached down and grabbed the elf's ass, earning an enticing moan from the sorceress.

Suddenly, the tent door burst open revealing a lone soldier. Forced to break off their display of affection, the knight glared at the intruding Legionnaire in annoyance.

"What is it, soldier?" He demanded.

"Forgive the interruption, Legatus, but we have a problem..." The Imperial spoke.

/

Storming onto the second floor, the vampire stopped dead in his tracks when he saw the fallen legionnaires at the entrance to Claire's room. Grabbing one, he held the man's head to the side, revealing two puncture wounds on his neck.

"When did you notice this?" He asked, turning to the female centurion following him.

"Barely five minutes ago when I came to check on Lady Claire, Legatus." She answered.

Seeing the tossed bedroom, the knight grimaced.

"I want the castle and camp on lockdown, keep the citizens inside." He ordered. "I'll handle this."

/

A short while later

Raising his left-hand high, the vampire cast a Clairvoyance spell. Catching sight of the fledgling vampire's illuminated tracks, he closely followed it as it led him alongside a river.

Hearing soft crying, the vampire followed the sound back to its source. Within a hidden area underneath a waterfall, he found her sitting on a small rock, her face buried within her hands.

"Claire…" He spoke softly.

"Please leave me, my lord." Claire asked, sobbing.

"I'm sorry," Henry apologized, prompting the elf's follow-up outburst.

"You're sorry!? I'm a monster now!" She cried, her eyes burning in rage.

"No, _I'm_ a monster..." The vampire lord insisted, placing a gentle hand on top of hers. "Your still that sweet little thing I found not long ago."

"I know Lady Olga wants you-." She spoke, softly. Turning to face him, she pounced on the knight with the speed of an enhanced cat. Lowering herself onto him, she held back no longer. Smacking her lips onto his, she ravaged his face with the hunger of a starving animal.

"And I don't care!" She expressed in between the kiss.

Accepting the fledgling vampire's passion, the knight soon reciprocated the elf's love, slipping an arm around her waist. Licking at her lips, the dark elf opened her mouth unhesitatingly, granting the vampire lord entrance and control over her mouth. After a short, but tense few moments, the blonde elf broke the kiss.

"Because I'm going to take my piece of you for myself!" She said, gasping for air as she broke the kiss.

Reaching for the buttons of her blouse, the blonde flushed red as he calmly undressed her. Opening her shirt, Claire smiled bashfully as her lover took in her supple beauty. Finally looking back up to her ruby eyes, she soon reached down for the drawstring of his trousers.

"Having fun without me?" A sultry voice spoke up, widening the Breton's eyes in shock.

Stopping their love-making session, the two were redfaced to find themselves interrupted by the raven-haired sorceress standing atop a rock overlooking them.

"My lady!" Henry spoke in shock. "I'm-"

"Save it, pretty boy," She said with a smirk as she began to unbutton her own corset before the two, quickly tossing it aside.

/

Nightfall

Climbing up to the concealed guardpost, the vampire pulled the mercenary into a dark corner. Clasping a hand over the man's mouth, he sank his fangs into the man's throat, evoking a muffled cry. Wasting no time on the watchman, Henry drank the man dry, killing him within meer seconds.

Looking over to the neighboring tower, he nodded in approval as the sentry there was also feasted upon, this time by the young elven vampire. While not as fast or aggressive as the Breton, the once-shy elf drained the Black Dog with the hunger of a starving animal.

After dispatching the sentries, the elder vampire signaled to his new apprentice. Taking the torches off the tower wall, the two dropped them to the ground below. Recognizing that as their signal, legion troopers began to pour over the palisade walls one by one. Haven built no ladders or siege equipment, the soldiers used only strength and teamwork as they boosted each other over the walls.

The few men lucky enough to be awake to patrol or on Nightwatch were quickly isolated and dispatched by the battle-hardened veterans. The unlucky majority were roused from sleep to find the iron-clad legionnaires slaughtering men in their sleep.

Jumping down from the towers, the two joined in the assault. Drawing his sword, Henry deftly parried a sword swing before slashing the mercenary across the throat, decapitating him. Feeling a whiff of air rush towards his face, he turned to face his attacker. Before the sword could reach him, however, a round shield knocked the blade to the side. With the man's attack knocked to the side, Arthur thrust his sword over his shield hand, piercing the man's chest and killing him.

Making eye contact with his squire, the knight smiled in praise of the teen's increasing competency. A counterattack by the mercenaries forced the two to cut their moment short with the Dragonborn moving left, while the blonde squire moved right.

Rushing to the aid of his men, the vampire cleaved through two men before moving to engage their sergeant. Finding his first attack blocked, the Breton smiled mentally, appreciating his opponent's competency compared to the rest of the sellsword rabble. Avoiding a slash towards his throat, Henry countered. Timing his attack perfectly with the mercenary's follow-up attack, he slashed at the man's uncovered wrist, disabling his sword hand. Grabbing his wrist in pain, the sergeant was in no position to defend himself from the heart-piercing strike that followed.

Drawing his blade from the sergeant's chest, Henry caught the static sound of a lighting spell charging up. Using the dead mercenary as a shield, he barely blocked a lightning bolt sent from a man in dark black robes. From atop a small elevated position, the Black Dog commander fired lighting spells almost at random into the chaotic battle, killing both legionnaire and Black Dog alike.

"Fus Ro Dah!" He shouted, throwing the man back several feet and into a tent.

Rushing through a small gap in the enemy lines, the knight ran forward to silence the enemy mage. Soon encountering the commander's personal guards, the Dragonborn engaged the disorganized men, cutting two down in the deadly dance of blades.

Breaking a man's nose with Nightingale's pommel, the vampire finished him off by stabbing him bellow just chin, impaling him through his head.

Just as he was to engage the last of the bodyguards, the honor was stolen by a frost spell that instantly froze the men to death. Looking behind him, he found Olga running up behind him and engaging a small mass of reinforcements approaching them.

"Go! I'll handle these mongrels!" She shouted.

Nodding in agreement, the Breton sped off in the direction of the flattened tent.

Soon reaching the largely barren section of the camp, the vampire soon found his prey. Finding him laying on the ground, the vampire smirked when he recognized the man had broken his ankle.

"Burn!" The mage spat, casting a fireball at him.

Easily dodging the fireball, the undead legate calmly began his stride towards the injured spellsword. Dodging another fire spell, the vampire continued his creepily relaxed walk unimpeded.

"Faas Ru Maar!" He shouted.

Attempting to cast another spell, the mage felt his hands tremble as the world around him began to warp and distort before his eyes. Looking at the Black Knight, the spellsword found himself unknowingly attempting to crawl away as the Dragonborn changed. Ditching his armor for a set of dark grey flesh, the vampire grew a pair of large devilish wings.

Reaching down to the smaller man, the unchanged vampire grabbed onto the mage's collar before lifting him up and pinning him to a nearby wooden post.

"What's your name, boy? I'd like to know your name." Henry asked calmly.

"Kin. It's Kin!" The mage answered, easily swayed by the Dragonborn's Dismay shout.

"Where's Vault?" The vampire asked.

"Back at the Black Fortress by now!" The Black Dog commander answered.

"Where are the rest of the horde's bases?" The legate asked.

"I have the positions all pinpointed on my map, just in my tent there!" Kin quickly pointed out.

"Thank you…"

"I've kept my end of the bargain. Take me to jail, I'll take a lifetime in prison easily." The fearful mage said in an almost pleading tone.

"Hmph. Jail?" Henry grinned, bearing his gleaming fangs before the terrified mage.

"No!" The spellsword cried out in horror.

/

Watching as the vampire feast upon the defeated spellsword, Tharn scratched his chin. Sitting before the crystal ball within the Black Fortress, he pondered his next move carefully.

Suddenly, the door to the throne room burst open, revealing the wounded form of Vault.

"My lord, my army has been destroyed." He informed, kneeling before the Elven lich. "Our supply base south has been captured, it also appears our various outposts are also compromised..."

"Yes, I well aware." Tharn responded with a calm nod. "No matter, I have another plan in mind for you and what little men you have left."

"Well, what is it?"

"Do you know of any malcontent with Celestine's rule?"

/


	20. Chapter 20

20

A Dance

Crawling on his stomach, the charred man attempted to drag himself to a nearby stream. All around him lie the scorched corpses of his allies. Dangling just above them from a wooden pole were the tattered remains of a flag bearing the Black Dog emblem. Reaching into the stream, he grabbed a handful of water. Just as he was to raise the water to his burnt face, an arming sword pierced his back, puncturing his heart.

Finishing off the dead mercenary, Arthur drew his sword from the man's back. Looking around, he witnessed a detached century of legion troopers "mopping up" like him. To his immediate left were the dying cries of another mercenary as two legionnaires stabbed him to death with their daggers. Similar actions were carried out all around them with the summary battlefield execution and looting of the defeated Black Dogs.

"Pardon me, sir. But you are Legate Morell's squire, are you not?" Turning, the young nobleman found the question originated from a junior Centurion.

"Yes, that's right." He answered with a nod.

"The Legatus requests your presence in the enemy command tent." The Imperial man informed him.

/

Walking into the captured enemy encampment, the teenage squire found a similar process to be occurring within the walls. Passing by him were pairs of soldiers who carried out a number of corpses. He pinched his nose as one pair passed by bearing the badly burnt corpse of a fallen Black Dog, the smell of scorched flesh burning his nostrils. Ignoring him, the "cleaning crew" proceeded into a large field with a large ditch dug in the middle. Reaching the hole, they casually tossed the bodies of the defeated in, one after another.

Continuing on into the encampment, he noticed a small, informal training session take place. While rather small in size, he was amazed to find that all of the trainees appeared to be local women. At the head of the instruction was a Decanus along with his and another contubernium who proved further mentorship.

"This is a shepherd's sling, to you, this is the tool of a child warding off wolves from his herd. But in the hands of a trained soldier, this a weapon of war." The female Nord spoke, showcasing a sling to the recruits.

Sat before the twenty troopers, the class of fifty or so trainees appeared focused and absorbed every word the foreign soldier spoke.

"Utilizing cast lead bullets, these ranged weapons can confuse, injure, and even kill massed infantry when fired in volleys. As an auxiliary formation of the Legion, your task will be to provide long-range suppression of the enemy in support of our infantry."

Signaling to one of her men, the soldier loaded a round into the pouch as a demonstration. Winding his arm up, he soon gained momentum in his swing. Upon release, the small lead ball flew a short way before striking a practice target before him. Smashing into the dummy's helmet, the metal of the helm caved upon impact.

Choosing to continue his walk, he proceeded past numerous other repurposed tents. Within a large one, Olga and Chloe, along with their crew of orderlies tended to the wounded. He watched in astonishment as the infamous sorceress cast a healing spell on a wounded Orcish soldier, instantly sealing a stab wound on his torso.

Soon reaching the command tent, he was immediately stopped by two legionnaires who blocked the entrance with their spears.

"Hold there, what is your business with the Legate?" The light-skinned human asked with a unique accent.

"I'm his Arthur Grosch, his squire. The legate is expecting me." Arthur answered.

Looking briefly at each other, the two men nodded and unblocked the entrance.

"Move along." A Dark Elf ordered.

Allowed entry into his master's tent, he was greeted by the knight who sat at a wooden desk surrounded by the members of his cadre. In his hands sat a small scroll, likely another report from his subordinates.

"Ah, there you are." Henry spoke, looking up from the report.

"You called for me?" Arthur asked.

"Aye, I've been thinking about this for some time now." The Breton answered. "Though our training sessions have been infrequent, I am pleased to note that it hasn't stopped you from training and learning on your own. As such, I believe it's time I've made this official."

Rising from his seat, the black knight approached the teen.

"Kneel." He softly instructed.

Without hesitation, the blonde dropped to one knee. Standing before him, the Dragonborn reached out and patted the youth on both of his shoulders.

"From this day, until the end of your days, you will receive no blows without returning any in kind." He spoke.

"You will bear true faith to your liege."

"You will not shame yourself, household, or liege."

"You will raise your blade in the defense of your liege and country and will not hesitate when ordered to do so."

Drawing Nightingale, he gently tapped the squire with the flat end of the blade on both of his shoulders.

"Squire Arthur Grosch, with these men as my witnesses, I dub thee knight." He concluded. "You may rise."

"Congratulations lad." Jaffar spoke with a warm smile.

"I'm a knight now? But I thought squires were usually knighted around twenty-one." The blonde teen asked curiously.

"How many squires do you know fight knee-deep in blood and guts through months of warfare and live to tell the tale?" The knight asked back with a raised eyebrow.

"None?" Arthur asked.

"Precisely. You've more than earned this in my eyes." Henry answered. "Just as a knight of Daggerfall would say: "Brotherhood through spilled blood"."

Hearing a new heartbeat enter the vicinity of his ears, the vampire instinctively turned to the door. A legion trooper soon burst into his tent, thoroughly exhausted from the presumed sprint as evidenced by his high heart rate.

"Legatus! Forgive the interruption, but I bear a letter from Lady Celestine!" The Imperial informed, producing a letter from his satchel.

Taking the note, the Breton promptly tore open the letter. Unfolding the paper, his eyes narrowed as he read the short message.

**Sir Henry**

**I hereby instruct you to return to the capital of Ken within the next three days. Please accept this letter as an order of utmost importance. **

**~ Lady Celestine Lucross**

/

Ken, Days later.

Riding at the helm of his raiders, the knight rumbled atop his dark steed, a look of grim determination on his face.

Immediately departing their encampment, the party had finally reached the gates of the sprawling capital of Ken. Passing through the wheatfields, the vampire was pleasantly surprised to find the welcome he received from the commoners to be rather warm. Unlike before, the peasants appeared to be happy to see him with many cheerfully greeting him and his men. Looking to the defenses, Henry was pleased to note Claudia's successful fortification efforts. Surrounding the farms and outer villages were independent networks of elastic defenses, each completely enclosed and sporting earthworks and timber defenses. Combined with the training and equipping of town watch groups would hopefully prove a formidable layered defense.

Eventually reaching the stone walls of the city itself, the vampire was immediately recognized and allowed entry. Walking through the gatehouse, he noted the internal defenses and anti-siege countermeasures to have been expanded upon. While crudely designed, the inclusion of murderholes and arrowslits in the side chambers would greatly extend the defensive capability of the walls. Despite the impressive defenses, the knight was unnerved by the undermanned garrison patrolling the walls. An unfortunate consequence of the costly campaign was that the alliance had to draw more men from their cities to make up for the losses.

Finding himself in the massive market district, the undead legate showed unease at the constant rush of crowds. Detecting the potential security risks, the knight's cavalrymen formed up around him in a protective square.

"Make way! Make way for Sir Henry!" Lieutenant Bauer belted out as the retinue pressed through the crowds.

/

Eventually reaching the Queen's residence, the roughly twenty men were soon ushered in by a sizeable contingent of army regulars.

"Hans, keep the men at the gate." He ordered. "Walk with me, Arthur."

"Aye lord." Bauer obeyed with a nod.

Continuing on without his bodyguards, the two knights proceeded into the opulent courtyard of the monastery. There, a congregation of nuns stood within a large tent, performing a sort of magical ritual. Off to the side stood Kaguya who appeared to be overseeing the ritual. Spotting the black knight and his pupil, the scantily garbed shrine maiden moved to address the two knights.

"Greetings, Sister Kaguya." The knight greeted with a polite bow.

"Sir Henry, it's very good to see you alive and well." The woman returned with a gentle nod of her head.

"What services are you performing today, my lady?" Henry asked.

"The treatment of another ill family, I'm afraid." Kaguya answered, almost emotionlessly.

"Is this a common occurrence to have so many ill?" The brunette asked, noting the sheer numbers of patients being treated.

"Another unfortunate consequence of this war. With so many men drafted and recruited from all corners of the alliance comes the spread of disease, and with so many wounded returning home it seems they've accidentally spread it to their families." The raven-haired woman explained.

"Is there anything we can do to help?" Arthur asked, turning to his mentor.

"My healers are capable of handling the sickness itself, however, this war has cost us the lives of numerous orderlies who've been called up to serve." The nun explained.

"Manpower I see. Well, if it's any use to you, I'd be honored to lend my men to you for as long as I'll remain in the capital." Henry offered.

"I thank you for your generosity, my lord. I will gladly accept any aid offered." Kaguya accepted with a small smile.

"Do you think I can help out, my lord?" Arthur asked, turning to the brunette.

"You're a knight now. You're free to make your own decisions, Arthur." The Breton knight answered.

"Right, where do we start?" The teen chuckled before turning back to the nun.

"If you'd follow me~" She answered before leading the blonde knight off to a nearby tent.

/

After a short walk through the massive compound, the vampire reached the queen's personal residence. Soon reaching the throne room, the knights found the goddess expecting him. At the feet of her throne stood Borgakh and a handful of Legion troopers. Making eye contact, the queen smiled warmly at the undead knight.

"My queen." The black knight knelt.

"Rise," Celestine greeted. "Welcome back to the capital, Sir Henry."

"I received your letter, your grace. What matter requires my immediate attention?" The knight asked, standing at attention.

"Stand at ease, Sir Henry. It is nothing life-threatening, quite the opposite in fact." Celestine urged, somewhat amused by the man's drive.

Almost on cue, an entourage of nobility entered the room from behind the knight, looking back, he raised an eyebrow as he recognized some of those in the gathering.

"I'm afraid I don't understand what this is, your grace." Henry spoke, slightly uneasy with being surrounded.

"The men and women who stand before you are some of the wealthiest and influential of Eostia's nobility, in recognition of your mettle, loyalty, and bravery, they wish to sponsor a feast and ball in your honor." The queen explained to the soon-annoyance of the vampire.

"Forgive my insolence, my lady but you recalled me for a party? Might I remind all in attendance of the court that we are _still_ at war?" He spoke, attempting to maintain his composure.

"Yes, Sir Henry. I am aware this is tactically premature to remove you from command, but I believe you deserve recognition for your tireless efforts." The buxom elven queen nodded in agreeance.

"Premature does not begin to explain the conundrum as it is, your grace. My legion is stretched thin amongst four detachments with my main contingent being undermanned and currently leaderless. Our manpower reserves and garrisons stand largely depleted and vulnerable to attack. Our supply lines are stretched beyond capacity, because of this, my men have had to subsist largely on captured supplies and foraging." The vampire pointed out.

"Calm yourself, friend. You said it yourself in your reports that you've had the scum on the run weeks now. It seems your men have had little issues dealing with the rabble compared to the last few decades." Count Groshe reasoned.

"Indeed. While Lady Claudia is a skilled general, we haven't seen such positive results since Count Levantine retired. Even with the considerable losses, it's a first in decades that we can see peace as feasible." A noblewoman chimed in.

"I thank you for your kind words, Lady Gweneth. I'd also like to add that our scout reports indicate our enemies have been on the retreat. I'd imagine those left intend to regroup to make a stand at the Black Fortress." An aging nobleman, this one bearing the sigil of House Levantine spoke up in agreement.

"Which is why I should be with my men to keep them from reorganizing, Tharn and his horde are a disease in this world that should be stamped out immediately." The Dragonborn insisted.

"I've heard enough, Sir Henry. Stand down." Celestine ordered calmly.

"As you wish, my lady." Henry nodded compliantly.

"I understand your concerns but rest assured that we do not intend to sit idly throughout the festivities. As we speak, Lady Alicia and Lady Maia ready their reinforcements to add to our ranks. Upon the conclusion of our feast, they will be ready to support your final push to the fortress." The goddess reincarnate added, somewhat easing the vampire knight.

"Very well, your grace."

/

A short while later

Removing his armor, piece by piece, he added it to the wooden rack. Looking over the pierced Ebony platemail, he grimaced as he noted the extensive damage.

"Perhaps Lady Luu-Luu can fix that." Henry spoke to himself.

Upon removing his gauntlets, he looked over himself. Beneath his dark armor was a well-worn cloth shirt and pants. Briefly smelling his shirt gave his nose an unpleasant smell, reminding him of the last time he'd changed his clothing.

"Hmph. It's a wonder Olga and Claire continue to tolerate me…" He joked as he raised the shirt over his head.

Raising his head, he took in a deep breath of the salted air provided by the steaming bath. The salt crystals within the air flooded his nostrils, dampening his senses. Though normally unnerved by any diminishing of his abilities, he found his body relaxing from the warm room and clean air. His mind clouded by the warmth, he instinctively removed his pants before tossing them aside, leaving him in his undergarments.

Looking to the ground before him, he found himself drawn in by the small bath set for him. Calmly stepping inside, he found a seat in the form of a small stone step carved into the wall of the tub. Receiving the hot water, he felt his muscles begin to unwind as if they were being slowly healed by a set of healing hands.

Splashing water over himself, he gently began scrubbing his skin. With the slightest of touch, he watched as the dirt ran off of him and into the bath. Finding a small block of soap set for him. A quick sniff revealed it to be composed of a concoction of animal fats and crushed lavender. A gentle scrub over his forearm left a pleasant aroma that calmed the vampire.

An abrupt knock at the door caused the knight's sword-arm to tense in anticipation of the potential threat.

"Pardon me, my lord. I come bringing a gift from Lady Celestine." The soft voice of a young maid spoke.

"Could you leave it at the door please, darling?" He asked, curiously testing his vampiric charm.

"A-as you wish, my lord!" She quickly answered, a flicker of her heart proving her attraction towards him.

Hearing the young woman quickly depart, the vampire gingerly rose from his bath. Grabbing a nearby towel, he stood up. Wrapping the towel around his midsection, he stepped out from the tub. Using his enhanced speed, he quickly made his way to the door. Opening it, he found a small bundle left at the door.

Ripping open the wrapping paper, a smile crept onto his face.

"Perhaps this isn't all that bad."

/

Within a gathering hall within the palace, a large collection of nobility formed. Nursing wine and exquisite appetizers, the nobles chatted and gossiped. Amongst the topics spoken were the common themes of politics, taxes, and finances, and fine food and drink.

Entering via a side-entrance, the knight quietly entered the party. Forgoing his armor, he appeared lavishly garbed in a black and gold linen outfit that closely hung to his muscular physique. Keeping Nightingale at his side, he fidgeted somewhat awkwardly in the expensive noble clothing. Tense around the large gathering, the Dragonborn was surprised and rather wary of his company as many went out of their way to greet or attempt to exchange pleasantries with him. Seeing no Maia or well-known acquaintances, he grabbed a goblet of wine before moving to an unoccupied area beside a large staircase leading to the throne room.

"Sir Henry, glad to see you finally free of the burdens of armor." An unknown voice joked from behind him.

Turning, the knight met an elderly man whom he'd recognized from the surprise meeting earlier. Standing at a solid six-feet tall and bald-headed, the retired general smiled as he received the Breton. Though not personally acquainted, he recognized the man as Grave Levantine, the father of Klaus Levantine and the father-in-law of his bride, Lady Claudia.

"Count Levantine, its an honor, sir." The knight greeted, offering a formal handshake.

"At ease, good knight!" The man laughed heartily as he accepted the handshake. "This is a party, not your last supper!"

"Apologies, I haven't had the honor of enjoying festivities in a long while…" Henry answered.

"I can see that well enough, you're not used to these prissy, wine-sipping events," Grave spoke. "Your used to dwelling on the ground and knee-deep in shit and blood as a soldier."

"You read me too well, my lord." The Breton conceded, impressed with the man's age and experience.

"Ah, I've shared the same issue. I was much like you when I was your age, focused so much on surviving war that I hadn't the faintest clue what to do when I survived." The elder Levantine elaborated.

"I don't believe I really survived in the end, my lord…" The vampire scoffed, opening his eyes wider to emphasize his undead state.

"Huh, I don't think that matters, lad." The elderly lord spoke with a hearty laugh as he motioned towards another group.

Looking over, Henry snorted as he saw numerous young ladies eying him. Some smiled nervously and looked away in embarrassment, while others only grinned and stared him down. Returning his attention to the old war hero, the knight was met with the old man's amused grin.

"Any of them catch your fancy, lad?" Grave nudged in a friendly manner.

"I'm afraid my heart belongs to others, my lord." Henry answered.

"Others? Ha! Too much man for one woman alone I see, I knew there was some life within you, boy!" The retired general laughed, slapping the Breton on the back.

"Quite the gem this one has proven himself to be, hasn't he, Grave?" Another nobleman asked.

Coming up from behind him, Henry looked to find another nobleman joining the conversation. Clad in an elaborate red overcoat, the gentleman appeared to be an older man with greying hair and a goatee. Utilizing a crutch, the aging aristocrat steadily hobbled over to the two men.

"Greetings, good knight. I am Sir John Mandeville." The man introduced, extending a courteous handshake to the knight.

"A pleasure, good sir." Henry nodded as he accepted the professional gesture.

"The pleasure is all mine, dear boy. To be in the presence of such a venerable war hero is an honor beyond belief." The elderly man praised.

"You flatter me, my lord."

"Pardon me, my lords." A gentle feminine voice spoke.

Nervously approaching the trio was a pretty maid. Covering her body was the classic black and white maid uniform, though this one seemed to be designed with more… devious intents in mind than practically.

"Forgive my insolence, my lords. But could I speak with you, Sir Henry… in private."

"As you wish, my dear." Henry accepted, with a polite nod.

"Be careful, lad!" Grave jokingly encouraged with a hearty laugh.

Allowing himself to be lead away, the knight was soon brought around a corner out of view from the party-goers. Quickly looking around, the maid sighed loudly when she found them to be out of earshot of others. Raising a small white ball of energy to her face, she allowed the disguise spell to dissipate revealing her to be Celestine. Appearing free of her usual white robes, the elven queen was dressed elegantly in a long white dress.

Though beautiful and pure, the queen appeared unnerved. Despite being alone, she constantly looked around to ensure they weren't being watched.

"Sir Henry, I'm glad to have found you." She said, moving closer to the knight.

"My lady, what's wrong?" Henry asked, raising a hand to brush a few of the hairs out of the goddess's face.

"Forgive the deception, Sir Henry, but I had to speak with you privately." Celestine explained with a blush. "I fear a number of my vassals are conspiring against me."

"Who? Give me names." The Breton bluntly asked, needing to hear no more.

"I have none yet, but the sudden timing of this party warrants suspicion." The elf answered, "Until your latest victory against Vault, the nobility distrusted you at best, and at worse some despised you..."

"And now they sing my praises and attempt to gain my favor~" The Dragonborn finished, placing a gentle hand on her wrist. "What would you have me do, my queen?"

"Play along for now." She answered, motioning towards the dance. "I've already informed Claudia, she has Borgakh's detachment on standby."

Nodding, the knight led the queen towards the open floor. There a number of nobles gathered to dance. Seeing the two together, all attention was shifted onto them, all conversations changed into a flurry of whispers as the two took their positions. Looking at a small group separate from the main body of viewers, Claudia and Klaus stood along with a finely dressed Borgakh and a few troopers disguised as servants. Soon after, a small group of musicians raised their instruments and began a slow, melodic tune.

"Take the lead." She quietly ordered, placing a hand on his shoulder.

Taking one of his hands, the goddess blushed uncomfortably as they began to attempt to mimic the movements of the other couples.

"Your first dance with a man?" Henry whispered as he slowly guided her.

"No man ever had the courage to ask me…" Celestine answered, embarrassed.

"Don't worry, your safe with me." The Breton assured with a warm smile, earning a bashful smile from the goddess.

Soon adjusting to the rhythm of the music, the pair began to rival the other couples in terms of dance. Despite being admittedly-unpracticed in dance, the Breton made up for this with improvisation and boldness. Abruptly abandoning any sense of uniformity or dogmatic technique, he spun Celestine around him, earning several hushed comments from the spectating crowd. Noticing this, the High Elf though equally surprised, appeared somewhat relieved as their plan seemed to go off unimpeded.

Deciding to raise the stakes, the vampire suddenly lowered his partner, eliciting a soft yelp of surprise from the elven queen. Many gasped over the Dragonborn's bold sex appeal as he stood over her, a deceptively seductive smirk plastered on his youthful face. Staring into his alluring red eyes, the blonde elf felt her heart flutter in excitement as his face came dangerously close to hers. Opening his mouth slightly, the vampire showcased his fangs to her and the crowd. Despite their connotation with the man's bloodthirsty reputation, the deadly teeth instead only furthered the goddess' excitement. Rather than attack the queen, the knight leaned, planting a long kiss on the elf's lips. Soon playing along with his ploy, the queen reciprocated his kiss, placing a hand on his jaw to gain further leverage on his face.

The crowd practically exploded with shock and awe with many jaws running agape. Off to the side, Claudia and Klaus all but dropped their wine glasses from this unexpected display of love. Despite being informed of the "plan", they had thought they'd pegged the Breton as an emotionless butcher, not some suave seducer. Borgakh, however, only smirked in amusement, she knew the man well enough to know of his unpredictability.

Within the crowd, a singular figure shuffled forward. The individual, a young nobleman wordlessly pushed past nobles, ignoring their scoldings or annoyance. Stopping just shy of the first row of viewing aristocracy, he reached into his fur-lined coat, he grabbed a small bulge over his chest. Slowly removing it, he checked to ensure a bolt was loaded and the weapon cocked. As the crowd was more focused on the anomaly of a knight, he was free to draw his weapon.

Raising his small crossbow, he stood ready to fire.

/

**A little something to hopefully leave a tantalizing taste in all of your mouths. Sorry for taking so long with this chapter, I've been kinda slacking and taking breaks here and there while also splitting my attention with my second fanfic. **


	21. Chapter 21

21

Treason

Slamming into the pavement, Arthur growled in pain as the large man pinned him to the ground. Wrestling with the larger opponent, the young knight eyed the dagger the man drew from his waistband. Lowering the deadly blade down to his neck, the blond nobleman grasped onto the muscular man's wrists. Using every ounce of strength he could muster, he used one hand to prevent his attacker from stabbing him. Then with his offhand, he struck the grappler across the face with a hard hook, dazing the man.

Redirecting the penetrative attack, the teen cursed as the blade accidentally stabbed into his cheek, quickly hitting bone. Reaching down to his belt, he grasped his knife. Then, with his attacker unfocused, he plunged the dagger into the man's jugular. Arthur gagged and spat as blood spilled out onto his face with some entering his mouth.

Throwing his now-dead opponent, off of him. The young knight sprawled out in exhaustion, looking up, he stared mesmerized by the black ash as it fell upon his face.

"Ragggghhh!" Another man cried out from behind the teen.

Arthur's eyes gleamed wide as he spotted the large billhook being aimed at his head. Before the polearm could reach his cranium, however, the spearman stopped dead as a sword pierced his chest from behind.

Falling over revealed his slayer to be Lieutenant Bauer. Approaching the young man, the army officer lowered a hand to the teen.

"Thanks, Hans." Arthur sighed in relief as he accepted the man's hand.

"Don't count your lucky stars, we're not home-free just yet," Bauer warned as he pulled the nobleman to his feet.

Back on his feet, the teen looked around to see the bloodsoaked courtyard surrounding him. Tents lay flattened and tattered by the devastating battle. Corpses lined the yard with soldiers and civilians alike sometimes piled atop each other. Soon joining the two was a ragtag handful of the Dragonborn's cavalryman. Coating their armor was seemingly ounces of dried blood, their weapons chipped and so battle-worn the blades appeared to be painted in red.

"Look alive, son. We still have another three floors to fight through." The Lieutenant spoke.

/

Days Prior

Focused. He had to stay focused. Holding her, he knew Celestine was afraid. Even throughout her difficult rein, she'd likely never been faced with such internal dissent. At least none to where she feared for her own life. While he hated remembering it, he knew it was something he was familiar with.

He remembered the tears on Elisif's face as she hugged onto him, so frightened by her would-be assassin. Even when the Argonian was intercepted and immediately slain, the queen wouldn't let go of him. It was this gut-wrenching feeling that concerned the Daggerfall knight.

Perhaps what she needed was something to make her forget, at least momentarily… Leaning into the elven queen's personal space, he smiled as he heard her surprised squeak. Initially resistant, she soon gave in to him, pulling him closer and pressing into him. Drowning out the music and the words of those spectating them, Henry could only focus on the moans of longing from the goddess.

It was this intense focus that blinded him to what came next. A sudden cry of terror from outside the crowd forced the vampire to break the kiss. There, off to the side lay the injured body of Klaus Levantine, struck by an assassin's crossbow bolt. Holding him in her arms was his devoted wife who could only cry and screech in pure disbelief. Seeing this, the crowd devolved into pure anarchy as nobles attempted to flee in all directions.

Letting go of the queen, he quickly singled out the sole figure responsible. Suddenly mustering every ounce of his enhanced speed, he seized the man as he tried to melt back into the crowd. Rushing to his side, two of the knight's troopers joined the fray and soon restrained the assassin.

/

Next Morning

Within a makeshift hospital room, the blonde goddess hovered over the unconscious nobleman. Still clad in her dress, the queen appeared disheveled, her hair messy and unkempt, and dark bags lay beneath her eyes.

"How is he, Sister Kaguya?" Celestine asked.

"Not well, I'm afraid. Though we managed to remove the crossbow safely, the tip was laced with a sort of coma-inducing poison." The shrine maiden answered. "He's shown no reaction to any medicine we've used on him."

Feeling a gentle hand rest on her shoulder, she turned around to find the vampire holding her supportively. With a sad frown, she raised a hand to caress the knight's face.

"I have Borgakh watching over Claudia." He softly informed.

"Where is the assassin?" She questioned with a surprising sense of aggression present.

"Safely secured in the dungeons, I have my men keeping a constant eye on him." He answered.

"Has he been identified?" Celestine asked.

"No, the name on his invitation is for a "Sir Edgar Clarke", but none of the guests know any knight by that name," Henry responded.

"Is it possible he could be from your world?" She asked.

"I don't recognize the name, but I can find out… all you need to do is ask." He answered, gently taking her hand.

Looking back to the pale face of Klaus, Celestine frowned. Sighing, she furrowed her eyebrows at the Breton knight in displeasure.

"Do what you must." She accepted, gently squeezing the vampire's hand.

/

Proceeding down an ever-slimier set of stairs, the Dragonborn descended into the dreary depths of the castle with the loud thundering of his Ebony boots.

Approaching a rusty iron door, the knight nodded to the accompanying guards who immediately unlocked it for him. Entering the confined space, his bloodthirsty eyes latched onto the captive man chained against the wall. From beneath a dirty burlap sack, the man's head drooped in exhaustion from the vampire's ordered sleep deprivation.

Spotting a small basin of water beside him, the knight quietly filled a small bucket. Approaching the captive, the vampire doused the man, immediately rousing him from his slumber. Raising his head, the assassin sputtered and gagged from the water.

"Secure him to the table." Henry quietly ordered.

Without any vocal response, the two troopers quietly obeyed, unshackling the prisoner. Taking the man by his arms, he was then strapped to a closeby wooden table. Once secured, the Breton silently dismissed the two jailers. Approaching the captive, he found the man deliberately ignoring him.

"Who do you work for?" The knight asked in a strangely relaxed tone.

Hearing the assassin's elevated heartbeat, the vampire knew the man was awake and could hear him. Despite this, the man only continued to stare straight ahead, ignoring the Dragonborn's question.

"Silent treatment, huh?" The vampire expressed. "Don't worry, I'll find out, one finger at a time.

From beyond the door, the two jailers stood impassively as the pained screams of terror soon rang out from within the dungeon.

/

A short while later

From her spot atop a wooden bench, Claudia could only tear up in anguish as the knight's cavalrymen drew a pure white sheet over her husband's body.

The soft creaking of a door opening prompted the weeping marshall to look to find the undead knight joining her. Approaching her, she wiped the tears out from her eyes before addressing her vampiric subordinate.

"Sir Henry… I… I don't think-" She said, attempting to regain her professional composure.

Cutting the widow off, the knight abruptly moved forward. Extending his arms, he soon enveloped the general in a warm embrace.

"I'm sorry for your loss…" His voice spoke soothingly.

At a loss for words, Claudia returned the soft hug. Reaching to her back, she blushed as she felt the vampire's strong hands rub her back.

"I've already spoken to Celestine, I will assume your duties for the time being." He softly spoke into her ear.

"B-but what about the assassin?" She asked, worried.

"I've dealt with him." The Dragonborn answered. "Take as long as you need. I'll handle the traitors."

/

A short while later

Within an affluent residential neighborhood, a small group of foreign troopers marched down the street with the loud thundering of their boots. Ignoring the whispers and stares from the residents, they made their way the largest home.

Stomping up to the front porch, two soldiers from the rear rushed forward, a battering-ram in hand. Placing the capped head of the ram just bellow the handle, the two men broke the door down with a single swing. With the door open, the legionnaires rushed inside. Quickly securing the bottom floor, two soldiers barged into a bedroom. From there, they dragged the single occupant out of bed while another two began searching the room.

"Unhand me, monster!" The youth remarked, racistly pointing out one man's orcish origins.

Emerging from the upper staircase, Sir John Mandeville angrily hobbled over to the Redguard Decanus.

"What's the meaning of this!?" He questioned the sergeant.

"As of one hour earlier, Lady Celestine has ordered martial law within the capital in response to the assassination of Lord Klaus Levantine," Henry answered, entering the room.

"What does that have to do with me?" The young Mandeville demanded.

"Neville Mandeville, you are wanted in connection to the assassination of Lord Klaus Levantine and collusion with enemies of the crown." The vampire calmly clarified.

"That's ridiculous! My family has served faithfully to her majesty for several generations! You cannot make such baseless accusations!" Sir John argued, highly displeased.

"What proof do you have of my "supposed treason"?" Neville asked arrogantly.

Entering the foyer, a short Dark Elf approached the vampire, leaning up to his shoulder, she whispered to the knight.

"Sir… He's clean evidence-wise." The female Dunmer informed.

Thinking he was free, the youth's grin grew wider. It was this lack of foresight that would prove a rude awakening for the redheaded nobleman.

"Take him to the dungeons." The undead knight calmly ordered. "I'll pry the truth from him later."

Hearing the vampire's dreaded words, the arrogant smirk on the young Mandeville vanished, replaced by one of pure terror as he turned as white as a sheet.

"What?! No! You cannot do this! I am a Mandeville!" Neville screeched and kicked.

Striking one of the orcs, the young man gasped in surprise. In retaliation, the large Orsimer punched the loud-mouthed noble across the jaw, rendering him unconscious.

Attempting to stop the arrest, the aging nobleman hobbled up to the Dragonborn as the young nobleman was led away.

"Sir Henry, please, there is no need for such drastic measures." Sir John reasoned to unfortunately no avail.

"Unless you wish to incriminate yourself, keep your mouth shut," Henry spoke curtly as he brushed the elderly aristocrat aside.

Leaving the noble residence, the nobleman scowled in pure contempt. Angrily gripping the top of his cane, the man's nails soon began to dig into the wood, leaving noticeable prints.

/

Hours Later, nightfall

Throwing icy water over the detainee, the redheaded nobleman promptly awoke. Coughing up water, his eyes slowly began to adjust to the lack of light in the filthy dungeons. Attempting to move proved pointless as a rattling of heavy chains proved his level of restraints. Seeing a blurry figure standing before him, Neville cocked his head in confusion as the man dropped something slightly heavy on his chest.

Focusing his blurred vision on the object, he yelped in terror as he recognized the item as a severed hand. Thrashing and shaking, the young aristocrat attempted to throw the severed hand off of his chest.

"It took that and two hours of waterboarding to lead me to your doorstep." The knight chillingly explained.

Looking up to the brunette knight, the Mandeville heir felt his linen trousers become wet and warm. Eying the man's pants, the vampire grimaced upon discovering the youth had soiled himself.

"Fingers or toes?" Henry calmly asked.

"W-what?"

"Which would you like for me to cut off first? Fingers or toes? I offered your associate the same choice, but he didn't seem to care… So I chose for him." The Breton explained, drawing a shining dagger from his side.

"W-wait! Don't hurt me, please!" Neville begged. "I... I know things. Let's talk and make a deal!"

"Continue and we'll see what sort of deal your worth."

/

The next morning

Marching at the head of ten legionnaires, the Dragonborn brushed the crowds aside. From his mere presence and fear of his dreaded troopers, the peasantry and nobility alike immediately allowed the squad through. Stopping at a large industrial warehouse, a small group of figures emerged from the front door. In the center stood two men, one in his advanced years.

"Well, if it isn't the queen's toy knight... to what do I owe the pleasure, commander?" The older of the two men mockingly greeted.

"Baron Frederich Hauteville, you are wanted in connection to the assassination of Lord Klaus Levantine and collusion with enemies of the crown." The black knight announced to the nervous whispers of the crowd.

Stepping forward, the knight's troopers cautiously began their advance.

"Stay back!" One of the baron's guards shouted as the men stepped forward, drawing their swords.

"You men have a choice," Henry spoke to the man's retainers. "Fight and die for traitors, or walk away and live."

Locking their shields closely to one another, the legion soldiers drew their spathas in unison with a loud whiff of air.

Looking to each other, the household guards fidgeted fearfully. Dropping their weapons, the men turned and fled, leaving only a single man to defend the middle-aged baron.

"And you? You won't flee?" The vampire asked, emerging from the wall of shields.

"Even though these cowards may dessert us, I won't abandon my father." The young nobleman answered, shakily gripping his arming sword.

"Iiz Slen Nus!" The knight shouted, freezing the father and son.

"Take the old man, leave the boy."

/

The Next Day

From her balcony, the goddess watched with a regretful frown as the three prisoners were lead into a courtyard overlooking the city. At the sides stood a silent gathering of nobility and the castle's staff and servants. Standing at the entrances stood a combined guard formation of local troops foreign troops carefully monitoring the crowds. Under the cool cover of a tree, the knight and his former pupil awaited the condemned criminals, three rope nooses already tied for them.

Leading the men to the tree, the troopers secured the ropes around them before suspending them off the ground and placing stools beneath their feet.

"Sir Edgar Clarke, you stand accused of the assassination of Lord Klaus Levantine." The Breton commander asked, turning to the assassin.

Staring back at his torturer, the assassin spat hatefully at the knight. Opening his mouth, the crowd gasped in horror and disgust as he revealed his tongue had been recently cut out.

The vampire nodded to the executioner who kicked the stool over, dropping the man. From her position on her balcony, Celestine winced as the man struggled and squirmed from the tight bond around his neck.

"Hmph. Baron Frederich Hauteville, you stand accused of ordering the assassination of Lord Klaus Levantine and colluding with enemies of the crown. What say you in your defense?" Henry turned to face the elderly aristocrat.

"Enough with this posturing, lad. I'm guilty, I know it and you know it. Give the hangman his day let's be done with it."

"As you wish." The knight stepped up to the condemned traitor, placing a boot on the stool holding him up.

Kicking out the stool, the aging man offered no resistance and simply accepted his fate. Following his heartbeat, the vampire grimaced as the Eostian nobleman joined the dying assassin.

Rather than immediately turn his attention to the redheaded nobleman, Henry only watched the two men lose consciousness. After several tense moments, their heartbeats ceased.

Turning his attention to Neville, the youth gulped audibly as the vampire raised his hand, his father watching dreadfully from within the crowd.

"Cut him down." He quietly ordered, spurring numerous hushed comments from the spectating nobility.

Drawing a dagger, the executioner sliced the rope holding the young heir, dropping him to the ground. Once free, the youth quickly pulled the noose off of his neck.

"For your confession and aid in identifying this traitor, Neville Mandeville, I am conscripting you into Eostia's first legion." The Dragonborn ordered. "Secure him."

Stepping forward, two legion troopers seized the financier before quickly dragging him back inside.

/

Days later

Walking down the halls, the queen and her escorts soon reached the safety and solitude of her personal chambers. Taking a seat in a small chair, Celestine watched as the knight filled a kettle in a nearby basin.

"C-can we talk?" She asked nervously.

"Of course, my lady." He answered as he began carefully heating the water with a fire spell. "What's on your mind?"

"The executions... were they necessary, Henry?" She asked regretfully.

"Unfortunate, but needed to root out any potential traitors... I imagine they will act soon knowing the extents I will go to hunt them," Henry reasoned.

"I see..." Celestine nodded as she folded tea leaves.

Sensing another heartbeat coming close, the vampire instinctively turned to find an Eostian sergeant approaching him with two other army regulars following closely behind him.

"Forgive the interruption, Commander. But Lieutenant Bauer wished of me to inform you that his men have detained another potential turncoat." The sergeant informed with a courteous bow. "We have him in the dungeon awaiting your interrogation."

"Go, Sir Henry, I'll be fine." Celestine urged.

"As you wish, I'll be back soon, my lady." Henry nodded, putting the hot kettle down. "Simcoe, Lewis, stay with her holiness."

"Aye, Lord!" The two men struck their chests in unison.

"Take me to him, Sergeant."

/

Proceeding down the confined passageway, the knight was lead by the sergeant back to the dungeons. Approaching the single entryway, the vampire growled uncomfortably as the local troops seemed to move far to close for his comfort.

Entering the all-too-familiar dungeon and improvised torture room, Henry's eyes immediately locked onto the single figure chained in the far corner of the small room. Approaching the detainee, he abruptly stopped dead in his tracks. Narrowing his enhanced ears onto the man, the vampire's eyes narrowed upon failing to find a heartbeat from the supposed "traitor".

Maintaining his composure, the knight calmly picked up the wooden pail. Filling it, he readied himself as he heard the subtle footsteps of the sergeant approaching him from behind. Focusing his hearing on the soldier, his lips crunched in a repressed rage as he heard the shifting of leather from the man's attempt to quietly draw a dagger.

Spinning around, the treacherous sergeant was surprised to find a bucket of water doused over his face. Staggering backward, he swiped at the air with his short blade in shock. Lunging forward, Henry drew his sword, swiftly decapitating the traitorous sergeant.

Seeing their leader fall, the two Eostian's hastily drew their weapons before rushing towards the vampire.

"Yol Toor Shul!" Henry shouted, launching a powerful wall of fire at the two mutineers.

Catching onto their clothing, the two soldiers cried and dropped their blades as the murderous flames reduced their flesh into black cinders. Dropping to the soggy floor, they attempted to roll out the flames.

Ignoring their dying cries, the Breton quickly jumped over the burning men before proceeding back up the staircase. Awaiting him was a group of four army regulars blocking the hallway leading out from the dungeon.

Placing two fingers to his throat revealed how dry and fatigued the muscles within felt. He wouldn't be able to shout for a short while, forcing him to rely on his skill and mettle to see him through. Overconfident in their odds, the mutineers advanced, foolishly exposing gaps in their line. To the battle-hardened vampire knight, this provided an opening for him to exploit.

Pointing his blade over his shoulder, Henry grimaced as he adopted a guard stance.

Rushing forward, he slipped in between two guards, allowing him to avoid a splitting chop from a halberd. Outmaneuvering the halberdier, the Breton opened the man's throat with a single slash. Spinning around, he blocked a thrust from an arming sword. Striking the man in the face with the pommel of Nightingale, shattering his nose.

Joining the fray, the two other guardsmen rushed to attack the knight from his rear. Raising his battle-axe high, the axeman swung down hard on the black knight. Defending himself, Henry grabbed hold of the dazed swordsman before pulling him in front of him. Screeching in horrid pain, the swordsman quickly died as the axe-head punctured his helmet and skull beneath. Engaging the fourth man, the undead knight parried a downwards slash, knocking the man's blade downward. Pressing forward, he stabbed high, piercing the man's neck-guard throat.

Just as he finished off the swordsman, the weight of air passing him forced the vampire to duck bellow the axeman's renewed attack. Feining a high slash, the Dragonborn tricked the axeman into raising his weapon to block the false attack. Attacking his open guard, Henry slashed low, slicing open the man's shins. Forced to his knees, the mutinous soldier could only look on wide-eyed as the undead knight plunged his dark blade into a gap over his shoulder. Dropping his weapon, blood dribbled out from his mouth as Daedric weapon reached his heart.

Defeating his final challenger, the Dragonborn wasted no time retrieving his sword blade. With the air now clear of the sounds of battle, his ears locked onto the sounds of shouting and steel clashing elsewhere in the castle. Sprinting down the hallway, he soon reached the queen's quarters, where he found a sizeable group of guards attempting to force their way into the room. He scowled as he recognized the horribly mutilated bodies of his assigned guards who appeared to have left the queen's side to investigate the shouting only to be killed by their own countrymen. Hearing his heavy footsteps, the turncoat soldiers turned to face him.

Forming into a tightly packed square, the pikemen advanced. Unlike the group sent to kill murder him, these men moved cautiously, holding their spears out in a sort of pike-wall formation.

Grasping his heart, the vampire felt his bones distort and mutate. Shedding his hair, his skin darkened from his light peach to a dark blue-grey. Lowering their spears in pure terror, the mutinous soldiers only watched silently as a pair of wings formed on the vampire's back.

Emerging from his transformation, the vampire lord gently levitated off the ground. Weapons and stomachs dropped as a set of lethal clawed-nails formed on the beast's fingertips.

/

From behind her barricaded door, the elven queen shivered in horror as the banging outside gave way to the horrified screaming and begs for mercy from men. A sudden corpse hitting the door forced the elf away from her barricades. Standing up, she readied lighting spells within her hands as a swarm of jet-black bats slipped into her room. Before she could cast the deadly spell, the black mist materialized in the form of a towering gargoyle-like creature who calmly landed before her.

"Don't worry, it's me, my lady," Henry spoke, his voice though distorted sounded recognizable.

"Henry?!" Celestine shrieked in terror of the Breton's grotesque form.

Deciding against frightening her further, the Dragonborn reverted to his humanoid form.

"I need you to trust me, my lady," He answered, extending a hand out to her.

Accepting his hand, the goddess cocked her head in confusion as he pulled her in for a hug. Though confused by this gesture, she blushed as he began gently rubbing her bare arms. To add to her confusing mess of emotions, she yelped as he began planting kisses on her neck.

"H-Henry, w-what are you-" She moaned.

"Forgive me, but this is for your safety." He silently whispered into her ear.

Pressing his fangs into her neck, Celestine could only freeze in a strange combination of pain and pleasure. With every passing moment, she felt weaker as he continued to draw blood from her. Soon her head began to feel heavy for her shoulders just as the vampire abruptly stopped his feeding. Looking down at the knight, the goddess reincarnate found herself whimpering as he removed his fangs from her neck.

His ruby-red eyes beaming down into the elf's elven green ones, the knight noted the lack of resistance from his liege. Perfect.

Wrapping his arms around her body, the queen watched in awe as her protector vanished before her own eyes, now replaced by a swarm of ruby-eyed bats. Looking down, Celestine gasped as she soon began to levitate. Without warning, the vampire then flew out the window, taking the elf with him.

/

Taking the grieving general by her hand, Borgakh led the woman up a long winding flight of stairs before reaching a hallway seemingly untouched by the fighting. Pulling her into a nearby room, the Orsimer immediately began to barricade the singular entrance with any and all furniture present.

"We'll be safe in here until Sir Henry arrives," The orc spoke, reassuringly.

"Borgakh, what's going on?!" Claudia asked looking out the window to view the murderous clash taking place below them.

"An insurrection, as long as we stay here and remain quiet we should be safe," Borgakh answered.

Stepping away from the window, Claudia gasped as she witnessed a dark black mass of bats enter the room. Traveling to the center of the room, the bats soon dissipated, revealing the sleeping form of Celestine resting within Henry's arms. Stepping forward, the vampire quickly acknowledged both women.

"My lady," Henry greeted with a professional nod. "Are you hur-"

Cutting him off, the general cut him off with a hard slap across the face.

"I suppose I deserve that..." The Breton rubbed his slightly-red cheek.

"You told me you'd handle my duties!" The marshall shouted.

"I am handling it, all goes according to plan..." The vampire insisted.

"You call this a plan?!" She questioned, pointing out ongoing battle raging in the castle compound.

"I call it: cause for retaliation and cementing loyalties." He clarified firmly.

"You alread-"

"Mandeville and Hauteville didn't act alone, sneaking in an armed commoner under the guise of a knight isn't something you can hide easily. Neither is bribing an entire levy to participate in a coup against the queen. I imagine in the event Lady Celestine is rendered incapable of leading, a Regency will be established... one where a panel is free to rule as they see fit." The knight explained, gently placing the sleeping queen onto a couch.

Leaving the queen's side, the Breton calmed strode past the women and made his way for the door.

"Where are you going?" Borgakh asked.

"To end this chaos," He answered, his body dissipating once more into a swarm of bats.


	22. Chapter 22

22

Purge

Suspending the Eostian soldier off the ground, the vampire clenched him by his neck. With a jolt of blood magic, the undead Dragonborn stared into the man's soulless eyes as he drained the traitor of his life. Ending the man, Henry released his grip on the man, allowing his corpse to crumple onto the ground below.

Choose not to simply float in idleness, the Breton knight reentered combat, empaling another mutineer through his chainmail. Ramming a clawed fist into the man's chest, the pikeman gasped and seized up as the vampire lord's deadly fingers pierced his heart.

Dropping the man, he was then faced by a plate armor-bearing knight. Wrenching his Bastard Sword from the corpse of a fallen loyalist, the mutineer raised the blade in a guard position.

"A knight? How interesting to find you fighting amongst traitors…" The vampire observed.

"As my lord demands, I will follow him into the next era for Eostia!" The treasonous man-at-arms charged the vampire.

Avoiding the winding swing from his Bastard Sword, the vampire lord slashed the man across his torso. Scratching his breastplate, the knight staggered backward in surprise from the strength of the vampiric creature. Unharmed by the attack, he charged again.

Rather than dodge this time, the Dragonborn merely stood his ground. Slashing high in a downwards strike, the mutinous knight gasped when the vampire calmly caught his blade. Kicking the man in the chest, the vampire lord took ownership over the two-handed sword.

Falling to the ground, the knight looked up to see the undead Legate floating over him. Looking to the Bastard Sword, Henry flipped the weapon around, grabbing it by its blade.

"Your master led you to your grave," Henry spoke, raising the Bastard Sword.

"Wait!"

Dropping the improvised club onto the insurrectionist's helmet, the man screeched as the metal of his helm caved in upon impact. Ignoring the man's pained cries, the vampire lord continued to bludgeon the turncoat's helm and head in. Soon the sound of bending metal and shattered bones drowned out the knight's dying cries.

Remembering the way his father met his brutal demise, the Breton knight snorted as he inflicted a similar end to his enemy.

Raising the Bastard Sword for another strike, Henry snapped out from his bloodlust when a small, but strong hand placed itself firmly on his wrist.

"Hey, "pretty boy"," Luu-Luu piped up. "These cowards wanna surrender, what do you think we should do with them?"

Wiping the blood from his black eyes, Henry looked down to find the traitorous knight's head was all but completely pulverized. In its place was a bloody, crushed mess of blood, brains, and metal.

Regaining his composure, the vampire dropped the blood-soaked sword to find the skirmish had since concluded. Dropping their weapons in unison, the surviving mutineers cowered in fear over the Breton's brutality and grotesque form.

Looking down at the surrendering men, the vampire lord scowled.

"Kill them, we don't have the time to take prisoners," Henry answered, spreading his wings to take flight once more.

"Fine by me," The redheaded Halfling shouldering her massive axe.

Hearing the dreaded words from the ruthless knight, the mutineers threw themselves at the feet of the queen's loyalists. This only proved a foreshadowing of the cruelty and undying loyalty of the knight's men when the Eostians were soon met with closed fists and boots to the face.

With their enemies badly bloodied from combat, the Dragonborn's soldiers were free to fulfill their orders. Smashing their shields against their treacherous Eostian counterparts, the ad-hoc group set upon the traitors with the bloodlust of wild dogs. Utilizing their combined arsenal, they brutalized and massacred the traitors with the speed of wolves to sheep. Taking personal leadership in the slaughtering of the traitors, Luu-Luu rushed forward. With a heavy downward swing, she split a man's skull open with her Dane Axe.

Seizing an enemy sergeant by his collar, the Breton soon joined in his men's purge of the traitors. Tearing into his throat with his razor teeth, the vampire lord quickly drained the man dry before tossing his carcass aside. Licking his lips his animalistic satisfaction, the black knight sighed in enjoyment over the rejuvenating "beverage".

Once the violence subsided, the loyalists regrouped. Looking over his assembled troops, he noted their varying states of fatigue. His former-mercenary troops were used to the sudden arousal from sleep, and combined with their training and experience seemed hardly fazed by the situation. He frowned, however, noting their small numbers. The bulk of his force was made up of loyalists, men trustworthy enough to remain faithful to their liege but their training and experience seemed questionable at best. Finally... Luu-Luu... What could he say about her? She was strong and brutally honest. And somewhat crazy... He liked her. Her strength and skills would provide for a reliable and invaluable follower.

"We need to find Hans and Arthur," Henry thought aloud, rubbing his chin.

"Make ready, we move to clear out the next floor in five minutes." He turned, ordering his troops.

/

Castle hallways

"Come on!" Lieutenant Bauer shouted encouragingly.

Locking their kite shields together, the small remnant group of horsemen battled a large contingent of mutinous Eostian troops. Fighting in the constricted space, the cavalrymen used their superior positioning and experience to funnel their enemies into a position where they could combat them in small numbers at a time.

Thrusting with his arming sword, Hans stabbed a soldier through the chest. Drawing his sword back, the man fell over, allowing his comrade behind him to take his place. Unlike his fellow levy, the axeman proved himself considerably more aggressive with a heavy downward blow with his battleaxe.

Accepting the hard strikes, Bauer scowled as the edged weapon inflicted noticeable damage to his shield. Raising his kite shield, he slammed the bottom tip into the man's leather boot. Howling in pain, the man halted his attack from the sudden breaking of the bones in his feet.

Taking advantage of the respite, the Eostian loyalist thrust high with his sword, killing the mutineer with a quick stab to the throat.

Closeby, Arthur held his shield high, fending off multiple strikes from a mace-wielding soldier. Accepting several crushing blows, the young man gritted his teeth in pain from the force of the flanged mace.

Placing his bodyweight behind the shield, Arthur slammed into his enemy, throwing him back. Following up, the youth stabbed the man through the chest, punching through his gambeson and heart.

After several moments of intense combat, the loyalist band wiped out the enemy patrol. Rather than resting on their laurels, the cavalrymen secured the room and its entrances. Only after ensuring their enemies were done and men stood at the ready, Bauer allowed small numbers of wounded to rest and recover.

Gathering by the windows, the horsemen used the moonlight to aid in the tending to the wounded. Looking over his small twenty-man detachment, Hans was distressed to note their lack of medical supplies, thankfully it appeared their losses were limited to treatable injuries.

"Here take this," He insisted as he handed a handful of bandages to a man as he attempted to stem the bleeding of his arm.

A sudden shriek ringing out caused the retinue to raise their heads in the direction of the hallway ahead of them.

"That sounds like it came from the chapel, come on!" Arthur said, rushing forward to take the lead.

Rushing around the corner, the retinue reached the castle chapel. Within view from an open door, the nude form of Kaguya was dragged off by a hulking black figure. Rushing to her aid, the loyalists soon found their path partially blocked by a sizeable detachment of mutinous soldiers.

"We'll deal with this lot! Go!" Bauer ordered the blonde knight.

Nodding, Arthur sprinted past the enemy formation in the direction of the captured shrine maiden.

Running out an opened door, the young aristocrat found himself within a storage room adjoining the chapel. Looking around, Arthur held his sword and shield at the ready as he carefully searched for the raven-haired woman. Passing a marble column, his eyes narrowed as he felt a presence looming over him.

"Look out!" Kaguya warned from behind him.

Quickly spinning around, the fledgling knight deflected a powerful blow from a greatsword. Instinctively backing away, the young man scowled as his challenger stepped into the light, revealing himself to be a heavily armored Dremora Lord.

Following up with another slash, the black warrior continued to push the knight into a defensive stance. Despite this, the young knight maintained a solid defense, deftly parrying and blocking all of the demon's attacks. Gaining confidence, he parried and quickly jabbed with his sword, managing to cut the Daedra's cheek.

Roaring in anger, the Dremora feigned and slashed at the young man's exposed leg, cutting it. Yelping in pain, Arthur fell to one knee, dropping his shield.

Kicking the kite shield out from the youth's reach, the Daedra gloated arrogantly. Raising his greatsword high for a finishing blow, Arthur hung his head low in an illusion of accepting his death. Subtly reaching to his belt, he placed his hand on his back-up dagger.

Before he had a chance to counter the finishing strike, however, the weapon in question suddenly fell to the ground with a loud clang. Looking up, the teen's blue eyes shot open in shock as he found Kaguya standing before him. Collapsing in front of him, the Dremora Lord revealed a dagger to have been stabbed into the back of his neck.

Extending a hand out to him, Kaguya soon pulled the young knight to his feet.

"Thank you sister," Arthur thanked, bowing his head in respect.

"I should be thanking you… Had it not been for you… I shudder to think of what that fiend had planned for me." The pretty young maiden smiled, eliciting a nervous blush and smile from the nobleman.

"There you are, weaklings!" Another demented voice shouted.

Quickly grabbing his fallen sword, Arthur turned to see another enemy patrol forming. At its head was another Dremora, behind him were a number of Black Dogs. Seeing the nude shrine maiden and singular knight, the leading mercenary grinned evilly.

"Get behind me, Sister!" The young knight ordered.

"You can't win, kid. Sheath that sword and join us, we'll be glad to give you a turn with her" The sellsword Lieutenant offered.

"Go fuck yourself," Arthur sneered.

"A shame, kill him." The Lieutenant ordered.

Raising his two-handed Morning Star, the Dremora Lord began a steady brisk jog towards the pair.

Tightly grasping his shield, Arthur sweated nervously as the hulking Daedra closed in for the kill. Tucking his sword arm back, he prepared for a counterattack.

Before the massive spiked-maul could reach the young lord, a black and blue energy ball struck the Dremora lord, engulfing it in blue static. Soon, a massive ball of blue energy surrounded the black warrior.

Upon dissipating, the large Dremora vanished entirely.

"What the fuck was that?!" The mercenary questioned in disbelief.

"It seems your commander has decided to gift me with a full course meal tonight, how generous of him." The amused voice of Henry spoke up.

Looking to the source of his voice, the Black Dogs found themselves confronted by the knight's relief force. With the sudden pattering of feet, Bauer's contingent soon joined the fray, blocking off the exit behind the mercenaries. Forming two shield walls, the loyalists soon moved to block any and all possible escapes. Finding themselves surrounded, the mercenaries soon lost heart and dropped their weapons almost at once.

Striding over to the once-cocky mercenary, Henry couldn't help but snicker as the man dropped to his knees in fear.

"We surrender!" The men screeched fearfully.

"Who let you into the city? Who bribed the garrison?" The vampire calmly demanded.

"Sir John Mandeville! He has others gathering at this home as we speak!" The mercenary quickly answered. "That's all I know!"

In thanks for his assistance, the knight suddenly seized the man by the throat.

"Thank you," Henry grinned. "A proper welcome to Ken is in order… soldier."

Feeling the vampire's grip death grip wrap around his neck, the man struggled to unfurl the knight's fingers. It was then, with tears in his eyes, that he saw the Dragonborn's fangs approach him.

/

Hours later

Within a small dining room, a small assembly of individuals nervously gathered. At the head of the table sat a large, obese man-pig garbed in an oversized scarlet coat. By his side sat a twin pig in a closely matching azure coat. Sitting at the opposite end of the two brothers was the elderly John Mandeville, unlike the rest of his compatriots, he seemed rather annoyed as opposed to fearful.

Rubbing his chin, Conti Mortadella scowled in frustration. First, he and his brother were forced to abandon their homes and business in Feoh and live off the grid. Next, he threw all he had left into a hamfisted coup attempt. Tharn promised he'd send aid... In the end, it seemed the backstabbing lich intended to hang them up as jerky for the elven bitch's pet vampire.

"What's happening? Do you know?" Conti questioned anxiously.

"No idea, we should know within the hour," Sir John cooly answered.

"No need, I can answer that question for you," A new voice spoke up.

"Who said that?!" Conti questioned, nearly jumping from his chair.

"And just when I thought I'd have to search high and low for each of you separately-" A voice spoke. "-you gather like lambs… or rather, swine for the slaughter."

Emerging from a dark, shadow-covered corner, the vampire knight smiled. The sight of his blood-stained fangs elicited looks of pure dread from the aristocrats.

Rising from his chair, Ponti motioned towards the door. Before he could set foot in its direction, however, he nearly jumped back as the vampire suddenly appeared in front of him.

"What's your rush? You wanted me dead, you have your chance now," The Dragonborn creepily laughed.

Backing away from the undead legate, the younger pig looked to his elder for guidance. Scowling, Conti placed a protective hand on his brother's shoulder as he stared the vampire down.

"Sir John, a pleasure to find you amongst traitors and rapists," Henry smirked, finding the elderly man amongst the conspirators.

"Can you blame me?" The elderly aristocrat shrugged his shoulders, uncaring.

"No, with myself and Lady Celestine dead, you'd have your son back… as well as a prime position within an interim government. A high risk for a high reward." The vampire shook his head.

"You all know why I'm here, you all are traitors to the crown. You have five seconds to stand and defend yourselves." The Dragonborn proclaimed, drawing Nightingale. "For no one will come to save you."

Briefly looking at each other, the conspirators rose in unison. Reaching for their weapons, they turned to face the Breton knight.

"At least you'll die with swords in your hands…" Henry shrugged his shoulders in acknowledgment.

Rushing towards him, the vampire grinned wickedly.

/

Dawn

With empty glances and undead moans, the enthralled Black Dogs tore through the home, confiscating anything of value. Ripping down tapestries, silverware, and even looting corpses, they stripped the noble household for all it held. Flipping over the disemboweled body of one of the Mortadella brothers, a thrall dug through the man-pig's blood-soaked coat, removing his coinpurse and ripping off a garnet ring from a severed hand. Closeby, two other thralls worked on another dead conspirator. While one held his body up, another used a pair of tongs to pry golden teeth from the dead man's mouth. Gathering the looted goods, the unwilling pawns piled it outside where a crowd stood viewing their progress. At the head of the crowds stood the vampire and his legionnaires.

Noting the noteworthy goods seized, Henry turned to face a nearby carriage. Inside sat Celestine who only shot a firm nod in approval. Seeing the thralls finish their task, the undead husks quickly formed in front of him for further orders.

"Burn it," He ordered.

Lighting torches, each pawn took up positions at various windows and entrances. Upon command, windows shattered as torches were thrown inside. Quickly catching onto the home's wooden structure, the fire roared and grew from the surplus of raw materials. Soon, the flames grew higher and reached the roof.

Turning to address the fearful nobility, the vampire growled in pure animalistic spite.

"Ladies and gentlemen of the court, I present you all with a simple warning," He spoke threateningly. "Comply and you live, resist and you will die… screaming."

/

Days Later

Entering the opening gates of Ken, Alicia and her company were faced by a handful of seemingly-oblivious guardsmen. Approaching one, the man avoided eye contact with either woman and appeared to stare off into the distance.

"Her Majesty awaits your arrival," The man spoke, his tone flat and emotionless.

Placing a hand onto the gate guard's shoulder, Alicia's eyes widened in shock as the seemingly dead man turned to face her. Staring into the watchman's cold, lifeless eyes, the blonde knight gasped, knowing it to be the Dragonborn's doing.

"Her Majesty awaits your arrival," He creepily repeated.

Looking at the man's helmet, the knight saw what appeared to be a large capital "R" branded into his forehead. Looking at the other watchmen, Alicia was surprised to find the rest of the men sporting identical branding marks.

"I wouldn't expect much in the ways of conversation with them," A hearty, gruff voice spoke. "The Legatus saw to that personally."

Following the voice to its source, the young woman was forced to look up to make eye contact with the imposing Orcish warmaiden.

"Greetings, I am Captain Borgakh gra-Kazgur. Right hand to the Legatus and second to his legion." The brutish Orsimer spoke, introducing herself. "I presume you are Lady Alicia?"

"Yes, I am," Alicia nodded.

"You'll want to speak with Queen Celestine then," Borgakh surmised.

/

Sometime later

Inside the knight's chamber, the Dragonborn sat a desk, a letter in hand. Closeby, the Goddess Reborn sat nervously in a reclining chair.

"According to this report, Lady Maia has managed to clear out the remaining Black Dog strongholds in our eastern provinces," Henry informed. "Once Lady Alicia has arrived with her reinforcements, I will link up and consolidate my legion. From there, we will seek out and destroy the last of all enemy resistance in the west. Finally, we'll focus our attention on the north."

"And then… Tharn… Huh… to think that after all these years of never-ending war… we can finally have peace." Celestine spoke in disbelief. "Do you think this peace will last?"

"Long enough for me to finish this war with Tharn and Vault," Henry answered, removing a pauldron. "Once they've been dealt with, I will place my fullest attention on Eostia's nobility, and on the criminal underworld, I will ensure your safety and prosperity."

Sniffing, the elf abruptly rose from her chair. Turning away from the Dragonborn, her ears soon drooped in sadness.

"Is something wrong, my lady?" The vampire asked. Noticing this, he rose from his seat before moving to physically address the queen.

Turning around, the elf reached out and embraced the undead baron in a tearful hug. In an attempt to soothe the crying woman, Henry quickly returned the passionate gesture. Reaching around her back, he held the elf protectively.

"What's wrong?" He asked softly into one of her pointed ears.

"You barely even know me, yet you've given me so much." She answered. "I… I just wish I could gift you something in return."

"Nonsense, a place as your vassal and friend are all that I require. You owe me nothing else, my lady." The vampire insisted.

"F-friend?... Is that all I am to you?" The elf asked, sniffling.

"No, not just any friend, but a beloved one. You are one of the most beautiful, kindest, and gentlest women I've ever met. It's been nothing but a privilege to know and serve you." He answered with a soft smile.

Blushing at the knight's kind words, the queen smiled as the baron reached up to wipe the tears off her cheeks. Staring into his inviting garnet-red eyes, she felt her skin warm and moisten as she felt his breath reach her.

A sudden knock at the door prompted the elven queen to slowly ease off of the Breton knight.

"Speak," Henry ordered.

"Legatus, Lady Alicia has arrived." A legionnaire informed.

"One moment please," The Dragonborn requested.

"We'll speak again later. Ok?" He asked, turning his attention back to the elf.

"Very well," She nodded, slowly letting go of the vampire.

Releasing his grip on the goddess, the Breton took a seat back at the desk, while the queen herself returned to her reclining chair.

"Send her in,"

Entering the small room, the Knight of Iris formally knelt before the High Elf.

"My liege, I came as soon as I heard of the attempted coup. I brought another two hundred freshly trained levies to bolster your holding." Alicia informed.

"I see. I thank you greatly for your loyalty and diligence, dear Alicia." Celestine smiled in acknowledgment. "Speak with Sir Henry, he will oversee their integration with the local garrison."

"Sir Henry? I thought Lady Claudia held command over the army?"

"Lady Claudia is currently in mourning for her late husband. As such, I have assumed her responsibilities for the time being." Henry explained.

"I see, well if you'd follow me I'll introduce you to the reinforcements." The blonde knight nodded.

/

Walking to an outside balcony, the pair peered down into a sizeable dirt field where Alicia's levy of two hundred gathered. With a firm hand signal, an officer saluted the Lady of Feoh before shouting to his subordinates. Within moments, the company-sized element began drilling, showcasing various skills including marching, various battle formations, and finally sparring.

Focusing his attention on the officers and sergeants, the vampire was pleased to see them carefully overseeing the display. While somewhat limited in equipment due to the devastation of their city and lands, the Dragonborn imagined them battleworthy with a minor increase in funding and Luu-Luu's aid.

"Do you believe them capable of holding their ground?" He asked, turning to the blonde.

"Although they lack formal experience, I've ensured they received adequate training and time to learn," Alicia answered, confidently.

"And what of their loyalty? Do you believe them to be trustworthy?" Henry followed up.

"I have no doubts about their loyalty, my lord… while you may be feared and despised in Ken, the people of Feoh _will_ stand with you." She answered

To the young woman's surprise, the knight nodded, a small smile on his face.

"Very well," The vampire nodded.

"So, what happens next then… my lord?" The young woman curiously asked.

"We await Maia and her reinforcements, then, we go continue our offensive."

/

**This took some time. While not as long as I'd preferred, I believe this adequately adds to our story. I thank you all for your continued interest, support, and feedback throughout this writing venture of mine. **

**Unfortunately, I have to announce a hiatus for the next ten weeks as I will be leaving for Bootcamp on the fourteenth. After that, I will continue to work whenever I can as I will be away on schooling for my occupation and will likely be very busy. Rest assured that I will continue this and my second fanfic.**

**This is Justicar Nemesis, signing out.**


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